The European Commission formally charged Meta on Friday with violating the Digital Services Act by designing Facebook and Instagram features that encourage compulsive behavior and harm users' health, according to The Guardian.
EU regulators targeted functionalities such as video autoplay and infinite scroll, which they said keep users on autopilot and contribute to unhealthy habits.
The investigation, launched in May 2024, also found that Meta failed to address how nighttime usage affects minors.
The commission stated that features like video autoplay and infinite scroll "shift the brain into autopilot mode, contributing to unhealthy habits and compulsive use."
Regulators also noted that Meta disregarded available data on the time children spend on Instagram and Facebook at night, and how features such as reels and stories could lead to "excessive or even compulsive use of its services."
If the findings are confirmed, Meta could face fines of up to 6% of its global annual turnover.
EU officials are seeking mandatory design changes, including the removal of automatic video playback and infinite scrolling as default options.
Meta has defended its safety record, saying it has spent over a decade developing more than 50 tools and policies to protect young users and provide safe, age-appropriate experiences.
Beyond design features, the EU is examining algorithmic "rabbit hole" effects that spread negative body image content to minors.
Investigators also said Meta breached legal frameworks by failing to prevent children under 13 from creating accounts.
The regulatory action coincides with an upcoming safety report from an expert panel appointed by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
Several member states, including France, Italy, and Spain, are developing national social media restrictions for children.
Von der Leyen, a mother of seven and former doctor, previously told an AI safety conference: "We must consider a social media delay."
She added: "The question is not whether young people should have access to social media, the question is whether social media should have access to young people."
Announcing the charges, EU tech policy lead Henna Virkkunen said: "The Digital Services Act provides a clear framework to hold platforms accountable for the addictive design and effects of their services.
We are fully committed to enforcing our legislation in Europe."
