Instagram and Facebook may need to reform after EU rules that they are “lovers”

Meta is violating the EU Digital Services Act (DSA), a preliminary investigation has found, by creating “disruptive” content for Instagram and Facebook. It could be forced to overhaul all of those programs, and could face up to $12 billion in fines.

The The European Commission said Meta “has not adequately evaluated the risks of its addictive design on the health and mental health of users, including children and vulnerable adults.” It mentioned things like personalization, solo play, and endless scrolling, saying it “encourages the user to keep moving and shifts the brain into ‘autopilot.'”

The report also criticizes the tools Meta provides to help limit users. It says that time management tools can be easily removed; parental control requires technical expertise, effort, and time on behalf of parents to achieve; and that Meta’s public health awareness strategies are too limited to reduce risks.

Meta needs to reform Facebook and Instagram, according to the Commission. It shows that stopping things like autoplay and unlimited scrolling by default, using computer timeouts, and creating a “no action” incentive.

A study by the European Commission started in May 2024and separately reviews Meta’s age verification and child protection tools. Meta will now have a chance to defend itself, but if the Commission’s decision is final Zuck and Co. they can face non-compliance fines of up to 6 percent of their annual worldwide income. In 2025 that was $200.97 billion, meaning a fine of up to $12 billion.

The decision comes as the EU they consider setting up a gradual ban on social media for 16-year-olds, with a report from the European Commission on the matter next Monday. In August, Meta is facing charges in the US if its programs are intentionally disruptive, while four states are reportedly pushing for combined penalties of up to $1.4 trillion.

“Protecting the health and well-being of Europeans should be a priority for social networks,” said Henna Virkkunen, the Commission’s chief technology officer. “The Digital Services Act provides a clear framework for holding platforms accountable for the content and results of their services. We are fully committed to complying with our laws in Europe.”