LONDON: Meta violated the European Union’s Digital Services Act by using design features that risk the physical well-being of users, including minors and vulnerable adults, the European Commission concluded Friday in a preliminary finding.
The tech giant’s platforms, Instagram and Facebook, employ features such as infinite scroll, autoplay, push notifications and highly personalized recommendation systems that fail to adequately account for associated risks, regulators said.
If the findings are confirmed, Meta faces fines of up to 6% of its total annual turnover.
“We disagree with these preliminary findings, which don’t accurately take into account the significant steps we’ve taken to protect teens,” a Meta spokesperson said in a statement.
Since the investigation began, Meta has rolled out Teen Accounts that “automatically protect teens and put parents in control,” the spokesperson said, allowing parents to block access at night and cap daily screen time at 15 minutes.
“We share the European Commission’s commitment to providing teens with safe, positive online experiences and will continue to engage constructively with them,” the spokesperson added.
