Social Addiction: EU Accuses Meta Over Facebook and Instagram Design

The European Union has set its sights on Meta, accusing it of designing Facebook and Instagram to make us spend as much time as possible there. It's a violation of the Digital Services Act, the law meant to protect us from web giants.

The European Commission announced its preliminary position on July 10, 2026. According to the EU, Meta's design features, like infinite scroll and targeted notifications, are intentionally made to trap us. It's no accident if you find yourself staring at your screen for hours, apparently.

The problem is that these "small" design tricks aren't harmless. The EU claims they push users, especially younger ones, to develop problematic behaviors. We're talking about real addiction, not just minor annoyances.

The Digital Services Act requires large platforms to assess and mitigate risks to users' mental and physical health. Meta, with its "optimized" engagement features, seems to have ignored these obligations. Who would have thought a company would want to maximize profits?

Now Meta will have the opportunity to respond to the European Commission's accusations. Then, the EU will decide whether to confirm the violation and impose sanctions. Heavy fines could follow, but more importantly, the obligation to modify the platforms' design.

It's not the first time Meta has been scrutinized for safety or ethical issues. However, this 2026 investigation under the Digital Services Act is particularly significant. It sets an important precedent for how tech giants will have to operate in Europe.