The European Commission is drafting preliminary findings that accuse Meta of engineering its platforms to addict children.
Regulators in Brussels are preparing a formal accusation that Facebook and Instagram deploy design patterns specifically aimed at keeping minors hooked. The probe targets what the Commission calls exploitative features — the kind baked into feeds, notifications, and recommendation loops. If the preliminary findings become a final ruling, Meta faces a fine of up to 6% of its worldwide annual revenue. That figure, drawn from the Digital Services Act, would translate to billions of dollars at Meta's current scale.
This is the DSA doing what it was built to do: giving regulators a financial lever large enough to actually matter to a company Meta's size. Earlier EU actions against Big Tech often landed fines that amounted to rounding errors on a quarterly earnings call. A 6% ceiling changes the math.
Meta has been here before — under scrutiny for algorithmic amplification, data practices targeting minors, and platform design that critics say prioritizes engagement over wellbeing. Brussels is not the only jurisdiction watching; similar concerns have driven legislation and lawsuits in the US and UK. Whether the Commission's preliminary findings survive Meta's legal response is another question entirely.