After US settlement, EU says Meta must 'protect our kids too'

The European Union said Thursday that Meta must address the "addictive" design of Facebook and Instagram in Europe, days after the company agreed to sweeping US limits on teen social media use. European Commission spokesman Thomas Regnier said Brussels is in dialogue with Meta after it settled a landmark US case for up to $16.7 billion.

What is the EU asking Meta to change?

The European Commission wants Meta to fix "addictive" features on Facebook and Instagram, including endless scroll, personalized feeds and autoplay videos. It also expects proper screen time management and stronger parental controls. The demand follows a Commission finding last month that Meta breached the EU's Digital Services Act by failing to protect children on its platforms.

What did the European Commission say?

"The ball is in Meta's court," Regnier told reporters. He said Meta knows what the Commission expects and it is now up to the company to offer the same commitments in the EU that it has made in the US. Regnier added that the Commission is probing Meta "for exactly the same suspicions" raised in the US case, and wants "at least equally good protection for our kids here in the European Union."

Could Meta face a fine in the EU?

The Commission can impose a fine of up to six percent of Meta's total worldwide annual turnover if the company fails to address its concerns. Meta has said it disagrees with the EU's findings but will engage "constructively" on the matter. The Commission issued a similar warning to TikTok in February over related concerns.

What did Meta agree to in the US?

Meta agreed to pay a coalition of US states as much as $16.7 billion, according to a court filing ending a landmark trial in California. The company accepted new safeguards for young users, including an automatic nighttime block and a cap of two hours of cumulative daily use across its apps. The changes go further than anything Meta has previously accepted, following years of criticism over the platforms' effects on children.

Is the EU planning a wider social media ban for children?

The EU has separately been considering restrictions on social media access for young people, after several member states pushed to follow Australia's approach. An expert panel reported back last month to European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen, who is expected to outline proposed restrictions in a speech on September 16. A legal proposal is expected to follow later this year.

What did the EU's expert panel recommend?

The panel, made up of doctors, academics, youth representatives and parents, recommended no screen use at all for babies and toddlers. Children up to 12 should only use "age-appropriate social media" under adult supervision, it said, while those aged 13 to 18 should be granted gradually more autonomous access to platforms that have introduced key safety features. Von der Leyen said last month the debate is not about whether children can access social media, but whether and when it can access children, warning that tech firms must prove their services do no harm.