--- title: "EU prepares law requiring social networks to give users a 'kill switch' for addictive features" description: "The EU is preparing a law requiring social networks to allow users to disable addictive features and preventing chatbots from mimicking personal relationships. Meta, Google, and TikTok may be affected." date: 2026-11-09T19:16:51.196Z lang: en url: https://xab.info/en/posts/eu-proposes-mandatory-kill-switch-for-addictive-features tags: [eu-regulation, digital-services-act, digital-fairness-act, social-media, meta, tiktok, ai-chatbots] author: "Alexander Buran" publisher: "XAB.info" --- # EU prepares law requiring social networks to give users a 'kill switch' for addictive features ![A woman with vibrant nail polish using a smartphone, touching the bright touchscreen display](https://xab.info/media/2026/11/09/es-predlozhil-obavatelnyy-viklyuchatel-zavisayushchikh-funktsiy-v-sotssetyah/es-predlozhil-obavatelnyy-viklyuchatel-zavisayushchikh-funktsiy-v-sotssetyah-1.webp) ## Key Points - The EU is drafting a 'Digital Fairness Act' requiring social networks to let users disable features that encourage excessive use. - Chatbots mimicking personal relationships and encouraging interaction will also be subject to restrictions. - According to Bloomberg, Meta, Google, and ByteDance (TikTok) could be affected; the European Commission is already investigating Meta and TikTok under the DSA. - Violations of the Digital Fairness Act could result in fines of up to 6% of global annual revenue. - The 'safety by default' principle and restrictions for teenagers will be included in the 'EU Kids Act'; the project is to be presented on Wednesday. The European Union intends to obligate social networks to provide users with the option to disable features that provoke excessive use of platforms. According to Bloomberg, the restrictions will also affect chatbots that mimic personal relationships and encourage people to continue interacting. The initiative is included in the draft "Digital Fairness Act," which is expected to be presented by the European Commission on Wednesday. The European Commission did not comment on the content of the document at the time of publication. ### What will be subject to restrictions According to the draft, adult users should be given the ability to independently disable interface features that contribute to obsessive or excessive platform usage. This refers to mechanisms aimed at retaining attention and increasing interaction time with the audience. The document specifically mentions chatbots that mimic personal relationships and stimulate the user to continue the dialogue—such services must also be brought into compliance with the new requirements. ### Who may be affected by the rules According to Bloomberg, the largest technology companies, including Meta, Google, and ByteDance (owner of TikTok), could fall under the new regulations, as their services actively use mechanics aimed at increasing interaction time with the audience. It is noted that the European Commission is already investigating Meta and TikTok over suspicions of using addictive design. These checks are being conducted under the "Digital Services Act" (DSA), which regulates the operation of internet platforms in the European Union. ### Fines and control mechanisms Corresponding requirements for disabling "addictive" features are provided for in the Digital Fairness Act draft. Companies could face fines of up to 6% of their global annual revenue for violating the new rules. This level of sanctions is comparable to the maximum fines provided for in other key EU digital regulatory acts and is intended to ensure real enforceability of the requirements at the level of the largest corporations. ### Child protection and 'safety by default' In addition to requirements for adult users, the European Union intends to require social networks and artificial intelligence developers to create safe services by default. These provisions will be part of a broader "EU Kids Act," which also provides for restrictions on social media use by teenagers. Thus, the regulatory framework links two areas: control over "addictive" design for all users and enhanced protection for minors. ### Status of the document and next steps The Digital Fairness Act draft is scheduled to be presented on Wednesday; however, the European Commission has not yet commented on its content. Until the official publication of the text, the document remains a draft, and the final wording, the list of affected features, and the procedure for disabling them may change during the approval process. For tech companies, this means the need to evaluate their interfaces and chatbots for compliance with future requirements in advance to avoid fines of up to 6% of global revenue. ## Fact-Check & Sources - [ЕС захотел встроить в сервисы Google, M**a и TikTok выключатель функций, вызывающих цифровую зависимость](https://3dnews.ru/1151057) - Primary source; facts regarding the Digital Fairness Act, 6% fines, DSA investigations, and the EU Kids Act. Document is currently a draft; European Commission has not commented. - [ЕС захотел встроить в сервисы Google, Meta и TikTok выключатель функций, вызывающих цифровую зависимость](https://3dnews.ru/1151057/es-zahotel-vstroit-v-servisi-google-meta-i-tiktok-viklyuchatel-funktsiy-vizivayushchih-tsifrovuyu-zavisimost) - Duplicate link to the same material; content is consistent with the source. ## FAQ ### What exactly does the EU want social networks to do? Provide users with the option to disable features that provoke excessive or obsessive use of platforms, and regulate chatbots that mimic personal relationships. ### Which companies might be affected by the new rules? According to Bloomberg, Meta, Google, and ByteDance (owner of TikTok) could be subject to the rules as their services use attention-retention mechanics. ### What are the penalties for non-compliance? Companies could face fines of up to 6% of their global annual revenue for violating the Digital Fairness Act. ### How is this related to child protection? Requirements for 'safety by default' and restrictions on social media use by teenagers will be included in the broader 'EU Kids Act'. ### When will the draft law be presented? According to reports, the Digital Fairness Act is scheduled to be presented on Wednesday; the European Commission did not comment at the time of publication.