Meta and the DSA: Brussels Now Wants to Rewrite the Design of Social Media Platforms

The European Commission has preliminarily concluded that Facebook and Instagram use design mechanisms that encourage addictive use, particularly among minors. This is yet another example of how the DSA now allows Brussels to intervene directly in the design—and thus the business model—of major platforms.

The European Commission is taking a new step in the implementation of the Digital Services Act (DSA). In preliminary findings published today, it concludes that Meta has not sufficiently assessed or mitigated the risks associated with the addictive nature of Facebook and Instagram. Beyond the Meta case, this proceeding illustrates a deeper shift: Brussels is now using the DSA to intervene directly in the very…