European Union says Meta’s Instagram and Facebook “addictive” design is illegal

The European Union 2026 year 7 month 10 day preliminarily found that Meta’s Instagram and Facebook design has an “addictive” effect on users and violates Europe’s digital law. The announcement was released in the form of a preliminary report.

The preliminary finding says the design and algorithms of the two services focused on ways to induce user behavior. The report specifically pointed out that certain design elements promote repeated use.

Meta was reported in the report as saying that proceedings are underway in which it is given an opportunity to provide further explanation regarding this preliminary finding. It is not yet a final conclusion, and further investigation and procedures remain.

This decision came as part of enforcement of digital-related regulations applied in the European region. The preliminary determination itself is distinct from a final ruling that would impose immediate sanctions on a company.

The report was made public as a document pointing out issues in the platform’s design, and Meta’s deadline for explanation and the follow-up procedures are expected to proceed. At this point, additional disclosures and Meta’s official position still need to be confirmed.