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EU Asks Meta To Change Facebook, Instagram’s ‘Addictive Design’
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Meta must change Facebook’s and Instagram’s “addictive design” or face a heavy fine, the EU warned on Friday.
Brussels accused the US tech giant of failing to limit the risks the platforms posed to users, especially children and vulnerable adults, because of features designed to keep them on Facebook and Instagram.
Of particular concern are those like endless scroll, highly personalised feeds and the automatic playback of videos.
“Protecting the physical and mental health of Europeans must be a priority for social media platforms,” EU tech chief Henna Virkkunen said in a statement.
The European Union has in recent months stepped up its efforts to force Big Tech to better protect users online, especially children.
In a preliminary view on Friday, the European Commission said it “considers that Meta needs to implement design changes to both Instagram and Facebook” after concluding the platforms broke EU content rules.
Changes could include “disabling key addictive features such as ‘autoplay’ and ‘infinite scroll’ by default, implementing effective ‘screen time breaks’, and adapting its recommender system to make it less engagement-oriented”, it added.
Meta said it disagreed with findings but would continue to “engage constructively” with the EU.
If the regulator’s views on Meta are confirmed, the EU can slap a fine of up to six percent of the company’s total worldwide annual turnover.
A senior EU official insisted Brussels did not want to punish companies.
“We want to bring about change, and if we can get that change via commitments then we would be most happy,” a senior EU official said.
The findings come before an expert panel tasked by EU chief Ursula von der Leyen delivers its recommendations on Monday on how the EU can better shield children online from inappropriate content.
Von der Leyen faces pressure to act, with some EU states including France pushing for bloc-wide bans on social media for minors following Australia’s groundbreaking ban for under-16s.
The EU delivered a similar warning to TikTok in February this year, telling the company to change its design or risk massive fines.
But the official said there was a “slight difference” with TikTok since “Meta has indeed always tried to address minor protection online”.
The EU began its probe into Meta in 2024 under the Digital Services Act (DSA).
The content law is a major weapon in the EU’s bolstered armoury adopted in recent years to curb what Brussels describes as Big Tech’s excesses.
In Friday’s findings, Brussels said Facebook’s and Instagram’s time management tools can be easily dismissed while parental controls are only effective if parents have some technical knowledge, the commission said.
Meta also disregarded information about the time children spend on the apps at night “and how the optimisation of its different formats — such as reels and stories — could lead to excessive or compulsive use of the services”.
But Meta said the EU’s findings “don’t accurately take into account the significant steps we’ve taken to protect teens”, pointing to a type of account launched since the probe began.
Accounts allow parents to block access to Instagram at night and cap daily screen time at 15 minutes, it said.
As part of the same investigation, the EU accused Meta in April of failing to prevent children under 13 using Facebook and Instagram, thereby potentially exposing them to inappropriate content.
The wide-ranging probe is still looking into the possible so-called “rabbit hole” effects — which occurs when users are fed related content based on an algorithm, in some cases leading to more extreme content — on the platforms.
Meta has faced similar scrutiny across the Atlantic including a US trial this year which ruled Meta’s and YouTube’s platforms were harmfully addictive.
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I commend our security forces for the successful rescue of Oyo school children – Hon TeeJay Yusuf
Former member of the House of Representatives and a top notch of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP Hon TeeJay Yusuf has commended gallant security operatives for the successful rescue of Oyo school children after 56 days in captivity.
This was contained in a commendation letter personally signed by the three-term former lawmaker(2011-2023) on Saturday.
In the commentation letter, Yusuf said: “I warmly commend our gallant security forces for the successful rescue of the Oyo schoolchildren and their teachers after more than 50 days in the captivity of their abductors.
“Their safe return is a profound relief to their families and to all Nigerians who have kept them in their thoughts and prayers throughout this difficult period.
” This successful operation reflects the courage, professionalism, resilience, and unwavering commitment of our security personnel in the service of our nation.
“While we celebrate this outcome, we must remain steadfast in strengthening our collective resolve to end kidnapping and all forms of criminality across the country. Every Nigerian deserves to live, learn, and work in safety.
“I congratulate all those who played a role in securing their freedom and pray that God will continue to protect, strengthen, and guide our security forces as they carry out their vital responsibility.
The Presidency has thrown its heavy weight behind the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, over the recent controversy involving Peter Obi at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, insisting that the former Anambra State governor breached established parking regulations.
Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, said the facts presented by the aviation minister contradicted Obi’s claim that his vehicle was deliberately targeted by authorities.
The dispute stems from an incident on July 4, 2026, when Obi alleged that officials clamped the tyres of his vehicle at the Abuja airport as part of what he described as continued persecution by the Federal Government under President Bola Tinubu.
Following the allegation, Keyamo said he ordered an investigation into the matter. According to the minister, the findings showed that Obi’s vehicle was parked in violation of airport regulations and was clamped only after officials allowed sufficient time for it to be moved.
Keyamo maintained that Obi had already exited the vehicle before enforcement officers carried out the action, making it impossible for airport personnel to have identified the car as belonging to the opposition figure or singled him out for special treatment.
The minister further stated that after the police officer attached to Obi informed him that the vehicle had been clamped, the former presidential candidate secured its release without paying the prescribed penalty, despite what he described as a clear breach of airport security rules.
Reacting on his verified X account, Onanuga said the minister’s explanation had laid to rest claims that Obi was unfairly targeted.
He said, “Aviation Minister Festus Keyamo explains how Peter Obi’s car violated parking rules at the Airport, how it was clamped and how Peter Obi peddled his influence to get the car released without paying the mandatory fine. Keyamo has now decided that Peter Obi must pay the N25,000 fine for wrongful, illegal and dangerous parking.
“The Minister’s account of what happened on July 4 at Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport, Abuja, completely debunked Obi’s falsehood that he was unduly targeted and persecuted. The truth is that he and his police driver broke a simple parking rule at the Airport.”
Presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, Peter Obi, says the rescue of the Oyo schoolchildren and teachers is worthy of thanksgiving.
Obi said this in a post on his verified X handle on Saturday.
He said he is greatly relieved and delighted to learn of the safe rescue of the schoolchildren who were kidnapped.
“This is worthy of thanksgiving. I sincerely thank all those whose tireless efforts made their freedom possible, especially the security personnel and everyone who worked behind the scenes.
“While we celebrate this happy outcome, we must remember that no child should ever have to endure such trauma.
“The recurring incidents of kidnapping, particularly of schoolchildren, underscore the urgent need to strengthen our security architecture and make the protection of lives and property the foremost responsibility of government.
“Our children deserve to learn in an atmosphere of safety, not fear. We must continue to work towards building a Nigeria where every child can pursue education without the threat of violence or abduction.
“I rejoice with the children, their families, their schools, and all Nigerians on this heartening development,” he wrote.
I commend our security forces for the successful rescue of Oyo school children – Hon TeeJay Yusuf
Fine: Presidency throws weight behind Aviation minister, Keyamo’s ultimatum to Peter Obi
Oyo school children freedom: Peter Obi reacts says “it’s worthy of thanksgiving ‘
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