Brussels Moves to Force Meta and TikTok to Redesign 'Addictive' Apps Amid EU Child Safety Law

The European Commission has told Meta and TikTok that key features behind the 'addictive' use of Instagram, Facebook and TikTok need to change, as Brussels prepares a wider EU law restricting children's access to social media.

European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen said age-appropriate restrictions were needed after an expert panel called for social media curbs for under-13s. 'It is clear we need age-appropriate restrictions to platforms,' she told reporters, adding that the plan was 'not about whether children can access social media' but 'whether and when social media can access our children'.

Commission Findings Against Meta and TikTok

The Commission has preliminarily found Meta in breach of the Digital Services Act over the design of Instagram and Facebook. Investigators said the company had failed to properly assess how features such as autoplay, infinite scroll and personalised recommendations affect the physical and mental wellbeing of users, including minors.

Henna Virkkunen, the Commission's executive vice-president for tech sovereignty, security and democracy, said 'protecting the physical and mental health of Europeans must be a priority for social media platforms' and that the Digital Services Act 'provides a clear framework to hold platforms accountable for the addictive design... of their services'.

TikTok faced a similar finding earlier this year. The Commission said TikTok had disregarded indicators of compulsive use, including how long minors spend on the app at night, and that its screentime and parental control tools were 'easy to dismiss' and offered 'limited friction'.

Meta and TikTok Respond

Meta has rejected the findings. 'We disagree with these preliminary findings, which don't accurately take into account the significant steps we've taken to protect teens,' a company spokesperson said. The firm pointed to its Teen Accounts feature, which it says caps some usage and gives parents more control.

TikTok has also disputed its findings. A spokesperson said the Commission's conclusions 'present a categorically false and entirely meritless depiction of our platform', and that the company would 'take whatever steps are necessary to challenge these findings'.

Both companies could face fines of up to six per cent of their global annual turnover if the Commission's findings are confirmed. Investigations into both platforms continue.

A Wider Child Safety Law

Von der Leyen has promised a draft law in the autumn, though she declined to name a minimum age. She said she found an expert panel's 'staged approach' to setting age limits by age group 'very convincing'.

The panel, co-chaired by psychiatrist Jörg Fegert and epidemiologist Maria Melchior, recommended an EU-wide delay to what it called 'social media plus' for under-13s, covering platforms with similar features to social media, including some video games and AI chatbots.

At least ten EU countries have already announced their own plans. France has pledged a ban for under-15s, Spain wants restrictions for under-16s, and Greek curbs for under-15s take effect on 1 January 2027. Estonia has argued against blanket bans, saying children will find workarounds regardless.

Von der Leyen framed the wider push as a design problem rather than a parenting one. 'We do not expect children to design their own seatbelts. We do not expect parents to fit airbags at home,' she said.