The European Commission has issued preliminary findings accusing Meta of violating the European Union’s digital regulations by using platform features that regulators believe encourage users to remain engaged for extended periods.

The findings call on Meta to modify several engagement mechanisms, including autoplay, infinite scrolling, and recommendation systems, warning that the company could face significant financial penalties if it fails to comply.

Two-Year Investigation Under the Digital Services Act

The preliminary conclusions follow a two-year investigation conducted under the Digital Services Act (DSA), which requires major online platforms to better assess and mitigate risks associated with illegal and harmful content.

European regulators argue that Meta has not adequately evaluated the potential addictive effects created by its highly personalized recommendation algorithms and continuous content delivery features.

Concerns Over Addictive Platform Design

According to the European Commission, features such as autoplay, infinite scrolling, short-form videos, and Stories on both Facebook and Instagram may encourage excessive or compulsive use, particularly among younger users.

The Commission believes these design choices can contribute to longer screen time by providing users with an uninterrupted stream of personalized content.

Regulators Seek Platform Changes

European officials also criticized Meta’s current mitigation measures, arguing that existing screen-time management tools can be easily bypassed and that parental controls often require technical knowledge and significant effort to use effectively.

As part of its recommendations, the Commission called on Meta to:

• Disable autoplay and infinite scrolling by default.
• Introduce meaningful breaks that encourage users to stop scrolling.
• Reduce the emphasis recommendation systems place on maximizing engagement.

Meta Rejects the Findings

Meta disagreed with the Commission’s preliminary assessment.

Company spokesperson Ben Walters said the findings fail to properly recognize the safety improvements Meta has introduced for teenagers since the investigation began.

According to the company, its Teen Accounts include automatic protections, expanded parental controls, nighttime restrictions, and optional daily usage limits designed to promote healthier platform use.

Meta also stated that it will continue cooperating with European regulators throughout the investigation.

Potential Financial Penalties

European Commission Executive Vice President Henna Virkkunen stated that regulators’ primary concern is the potentially addictive nature of Meta’s platform design.

She indicated that Meta will either need to modify these features or face a formal non-compliance decision.

If the company is ultimately found to have violated the Digital Services Act, it could face fines of up to 6% of its global annual revenue.

Meta will have an opportunity to respond to the preliminary findings before the European Commission issues its final decision in the coming months.

Vexiora Analysis

The European Union’s action against Meta reflects a broader regulatory shift from policing online content to examining the design choices that shape user behavior. Rather than focusing solely on what users see, regulators are increasingly questioning how recommendation algorithms, autoplay, and endless scrolling influence attention, screen time, and mental well-being.

If the EU ultimately requires major changes to these engagement mechanisms, the decision could reshape how social media platforms operate globally. Because many technology companies prefer maintaining a unified product experience across regions, regulatory changes introduced in Europe often influence platform design and user experience far beyond the EU itself.