EU threatens Meta with fines over addictive features on Facebook and Instagram

The EU has issued formal findings that Meta violates the Digital Services Act through addictive design features (infinite scroll, autoplay, personalized algorithms) that disproportionately harm minors and vulnerable users, with potential fines up to 6% of global annual revenue if confirmed. This regulatory action signals a broader shift toward mandatory product redesigns and algorithmic accountability, setting precedent that will likely cascade across the technology industry and require IT organizations to reassess their own platform designs, user safety protocols, and compliance frameworks. For CIOs, this underscores that design choices and engagement metrics are now regulatory and legal liabilities, not just business levers.