EU Plans New Rules Targeting 'Addictive Design' on TikTok, Meta, X

New Regulatory Framework

The European Union is developing new regulations intended to protect children from the "addictive designs" of major social media platforms, including TikTok, Meta, and X. These measures are part of the forthcoming Digital Fairness Act.

According to the European Commission, the legislation aims to ban manipulative and addictive features as well as misleading marketing practices. The rules are intended to shield children from harmful design practices that encourage excessive use of these platforms.

Targeted Design Features

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen specifically identified several features that the EU intends to target. Von der Leyen stated, "We are taking action against TikTok and its addictive design – endless scrolling, autoplay, and push notifications".

Beyond TikTok, the Commission is extending these targets to Meta. Von der Leyen noted that the same actions apply to Meta because the EU believes that Instagram and Facebook are failing to enforce their own minimum age requirement of 13.

AI Limits and Age Verification

In addition to targeting user interface design, the new rules will introduce stricter limits on the use of artificial intelligence within social media platforms. The EU chief's announcement on Tuesday signals a toughening stance on Big Tech's operational practices within the bloc.

Furthermore, the Digital Fairness Act will include new measures regarding minimum age requirements. These measures are designed to ensure that platforms are more effective in preventing children under the required age from accessing their services.