The European Commission is preparing new powers to fine Big Tech companies that fail to protect consumers, especially children, from harmful online practices, according to the Financial Times. The proposed Digital Fairness Act is expected to be introduced in late 2026 and aims to address manipulative design practices like dark patterns and exploitative personalization.
On July 10, the Commission issued preliminary findings indicating that Meta is in violation of the Digital Services Act due to the “addictive” design of Instagram and Facebook. The investigation scrutinized features such as infinite scroll, autoplay, push notifications, and personalized recommendations, which the Commission argues promote compulsive use.
The Commission recommended that Meta disable autoplay and infinite scroll by default, implement effective screen-time breaks, and modify its recommendation algorithm to focus less on user engagement. If the findings are upheld, Meta could face a fine of up to 6% of its total global annual turnover. Meta can now review the evidence and provide a formal response.
In a separate development, the European Parliament voted on July 9 to reinstate Chat Control 1.0, allowing platforms to voluntarily scan unencrypted private messages for child sexual abuse material until April 2028. Critics asserted that the measure bypassed normal legislative procedures and was passed through a narrow vote using an “urgent procedure.”
Pavel Durov, co-founder of Telegram, criticized the EU’s actions, labeling it a “banana republic,” and confirmed that Telegram would not scan private messages under any legislation. Privacy advocates highlighted that end-to-end encrypted services like WhatsApp and Signal are explicitly exempt from the law.
The regulatory scrutiny of the technology sector has intensified recently. On July 8, the EU General Court dismissed Apple’s challenge against its gatekeeper designation under the Digital Markets Act. Additionally, on July 2, Europe’s top court upheld a €4.1 billion antitrust fine against Alphabet concerning its practices with Android. The Digital Fairness Act will further focus on consumer harm and child safety online.
