tech
Disable autoplay and infinite scroll or risk massive fines, EU tells Meta
Digital Services Act may force Meta to make big changes on its platforms.
TL;DR
- The European Commission preliminarily found Meta's Facebook and Instagram designs to be addictive.
- Features like autoplay, infinite scroll, and personalized recommendations are cited as contributing to compulsive use.
- Meta has defended its efforts, pointing to teen-specific features and parental controls.
- The EU argues Meta's current mitigation efforts are insufficient and particularly ineffective for minors.
- Recommendations include disabling addictive features by default, implementing screen time breaks, and adapting recommender systems.
- Meta faces potential fines of up to 6% of its global annual turnover if it fails to comply with the EU's Digital Services Act.
- Meta is also facing a lawsuit in the US seeking up to $1.4 trillion in penalties.
- The company's AI ambitions may be threatened by these financial and regulatory pressures.
- Meta's new AI model, Muse, which mines public Instagram feeds, has raised concerns about deepfakes and user consent.