EU accuses Meta of failing to tackle mental health risks of ‘addictive design’

Regulators say Facebook and Instagram features such as autoplay and infinite scroll contribute to ‘compulsive use’

EU regulators have accused Meta, the company behind Facebook and Instagram, of failing to tackle the risks of its “addictive design” on the physical and mental health of users.

In an official charge sheet against Meta released on Friday, the European Commission said features such as video autoplay and infinite scroll, which provides an endless stream of content, “shift the brain into autopilot mode, contributing to unhealthy habits and compulsive use”.