Disable Autoplay and Infinite Scroll Or Risk Massive Fines, EU Tells Meta (arstechnica.com) 19
An anonymous reader quotes a report from Ars Technica: The European Union is ramping up pressure on Meta to make big changes to Facebook and Instagram after the European Commission preliminarily found that features like autoplay, infinite scroll, and highly personalized content recommendations were addictive. On Thursday, the EC said its investigation indicated that "Meta did not adequately assess the risks of its addictive design on the physical and mental wellbeing of users, including minors and vulnerable adults." "These features fuel the user's urge to keep scrolling and shift the brain into 'autopilot mode,' contributing to unhealthy habits and compulsive use," the commission said. Over the next few months, Meta will have an opportunity to dispute the claims, and it has already taken a defensive stance. Meta's spokesperson, Ben Walters, told Reuters that Meta disagrees with the commission's preliminary findings, which supposedly "don't accurately take into account the significant steps we've taken to protect teens."
"Since this investigation began, we rolled out Teen Accounts that automatically protect teens and put parents in control -- allowing them to block access to Instagram at night and cap daily screen time at just 15 minutes," Walters said. However, the EC emphasized that Meta's current mitigation efforts, including time management tools activated by default for teens, "failed to effectively tackle the risks stemming from its addictive design." Additionally, parental controls were deemed "only effective if parents and guardians possess adequate technical expertise" and dedicated "effort and time to understand them effectively." "This undermines the efficiency of such measures in addressing the inherent risks posed by Instagram and Facebook's addictive design," the EC said, particularly for minors.
At this stage, the EC recommended that Meta consider "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." If Meta fails to make changes to comply with the EU's Digital Services Act, the company risks fines up to 6 percent of its global annual turnover when the EC makes its final decision in the coming months. "Our starting point is that, based on our findings, this design is too addictive and changes need to be made," Henna Virkkunen, the EU's tech chief, told Reuters. "The next step is either that Meta changes its design or a non-compliance decision will follow," she said, noting in the press release that the EU's priority is "protecting the physical and mental health of Europeans." "The Digital Services Act provides a clear framework to hold platforms accountable for the addictive design and effects of their services," Virkkunen said. "We are fully committed to enforcing our legislation in Europe."
The report also notes that the EC will share findings from experts on Monday that "could help pave the way for a Europe-wide social media ban for teenagers." It's not looking much better for Meta in the U.S., either. The company faces a lawsuit from 29 states that claim Meta's platforms addict kids. "That trial begins in August, and states may seek up to $1.4 trillion in penalties if Meta is found guilty," reports Ars.
"Since this investigation began, we rolled out Teen Accounts that automatically protect teens and put parents in control -- allowing them to block access to Instagram at night and cap daily screen time at just 15 minutes," Walters said. However, the EC emphasized that Meta's current mitigation efforts, including time management tools activated by default for teens, "failed to effectively tackle the risks stemming from its addictive design." Additionally, parental controls were deemed "only effective if parents and guardians possess adequate technical expertise" and dedicated "effort and time to understand them effectively." "This undermines the efficiency of such measures in addressing the inherent risks posed by Instagram and Facebook's addictive design," the EC said, particularly for minors.
At this stage, the EC recommended that Meta consider "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." If Meta fails to make changes to comply with the EU's Digital Services Act, the company risks fines up to 6 percent of its global annual turnover when the EC makes its final decision in the coming months. "Our starting point is that, based on our findings, this design is too addictive and changes need to be made," Henna Virkkunen, the EU's tech chief, told Reuters. "The next step is either that Meta changes its design or a non-compliance decision will follow," she said, noting in the press release that the EU's priority is "protecting the physical and mental health of Europeans." "The Digital Services Act provides a clear framework to hold platforms accountable for the addictive design and effects of their services," Virkkunen said. "We are fully committed to enforcing our legislation in Europe."
The report also notes that the EC will share findings from experts on Monday that "could help pave the way for a Europe-wide social media ban for teenagers." It's not looking much better for Meta in the U.S., either. The company faces a lawsuit from 29 states that claim Meta's platforms addict kids. "That trial begins in August, and states may seek up to $1.4 trillion in penalties if Meta is found guilty," reports Ars.
Leave Meta alone or face embargoes on all trade (Score:2)
says the president.
I wouldn't put it past him to try.
There is no limit to is escalation tactics.
Re:Leave Meta alone or face embargoes on all trade (Score:4, Interesting)
There is no limit to is escalation tactics.
That's all the more reason to not try to appease him, because there's no limit to reasons he'll think of to retaliate against perceived grievances. He could wake up one morning and fart crosswise and impose sanctions on the EU.
So the EU (and rest of the world) should just go about their lives, do what they need to do, and not worry about trade sanctions, because even trade agreements signed by Trump himself won't prevent sanctions.
Re: (Score:2)
He wants to embargo Spain but can't understand that Spain is part of the EU.
Re: (Score:3)
"Discard convenient features because we have a bug up our ass", does.
Re: (Score:3)
Given the US current economy and the GOP prospects for the coming election, the absolute worst thing Trump could do for the GOP is to enact new economic measures.
If he messes up enough he will be impeached again. Just takes a few more democrats in the senate.
But Meta/Facebook deserves to be embargoed (Score:2)
I'm guessing it was a rush to FP but I had quite a bit of trouble figuring out your intention from that short teaser. You should have given us a hint, perhaps by speculating about the bribery. However I do think Facebook is only "donating" small amounts of cash and most of the YOB's "eternal gratitude" is based on past services rendered. (In the YOB's case "eternal" means about two weeks. Until some other shiny object gets his attention.)
I know it seems intrinsically off topic to mention books on today's ve
People are sheep and can't help themselves (Score:1)
So let's all blame the scapegoat.
Re: (Score:1)
Re: (Score:3)
I think there's a middle ground between the libertarian view of it's your own damn fault if you didn't realize buying Snicker bars in bulk and stuffing your face with them will make you fat!" or "People lack the self control to snack responsibly, so we're locking the junk food behind the counter and placing purchase limits on it." IMHO, that middle ground should be educating and informing people of the risks, but ultimately leaving the final decision up to them (assuming they're an adult, obviously).
Yeah, I
Re: (Score:2)
Ironically, Reddit already doesn't let me doomscroll. I think I'm not subscribed to enough subs, so it eventually just runs out of content to show me.
In related news... (Score:2, Troll)
The EC will now require books to be printed with the pages out of sequence, forcing you to "go to" the next specified page instead of reading pages in order. The existing design was too clearly addictive and might entrap young people (and some adults) into reading entire chapters at a time without considering the dire consequences.
Re: (Score:2)
Social Fixer (Score:3)
I managed to get Facebook to behave almost the way I want it to using the Social Fixer extension.
Chronological order, no ads, only posts from people and pages I'm actually following, no autoplay, no stories. But as a side effect it seems to reload the page multiple times and sometimes stalls for a while, so it ends up too much of a hassle to check it more than a couple times a day anyway.
Endless scroll is absolutely addictive... (Score:2)
As someone who has spent a lot of time doom-scrolling on twitter, I can see where the EU is comming from on the addictiveness of social media.
Re: (Score:2)
I'd still say it depends on the person. Both on X and Facebook reels, the further you go down the rabbit hole, the more asinine the content becomes. It doesn't take long before I just close the app because it's nothing but slop, political garbage, and rage bait.
No more doomscrolling. Yay. (Score:2)
Now I can go back outside and stare at the decommissioned stoves of my run down industrial town.
Quite the opposite, I think... (Score:2)
On Thursday, the EC said its investigation indicated that "Meta did not adequately assess the risks of its addictive design on the physical and mental wellbeing of users, including minors and vulnerable adults."
I believe that Meta both assessed those risks and - based on those assessments - altered their design to maximize the risks.
Addicted people whose wills have been compromised by psychological manipulation are better targets for ads, propaganda, etc. Therefore, they're more profitable; and profit is the god to which virtually all Capitalists kneel, whether or not they admit that fact to themselves or others. Zuck is a high priest in that tawdry religion.