Reuters news report claimsA Dutch court recently ruled that Meta must modify the dynamic wall design of Facebook and Instagram on the grounds that the current algorithm recommendation violatesDigital Services ActThe regulations restrict users' right to freely choose how information is presented.
Key judgment content
The court noted that users in the Netherlands "do not have sufficient freedom to decide whether to use personalized recommendation systems." Therefore, it required Facebook and Instagram's Timeline Feeds to provide chronological order or other non-algorithmic sorting options, and not to automatically switch back to the algorithmic Timeline Feed after the user closes and reopens the app.
"It is unacceptable that a handful of American tech billionaires should decide how we view the world," said Maartje Knaap, a spokeswoman for Bits of Freedom, a Dutch digital rights group that brought the case.
Meta's response and counterattack
Meta said it would appeal the ruling, emphasizing that the interpretation and implementation of digital services laws should be led by the European Commission and EU-level regulators, not by individual national courts. Meta believes the ruling will undermine the unity of the European Digital Single Market.
In addition, Meta may face a fine of US$11.7 (approximately NT$380 million) per day, which may accumulate to a maximum of US$580 million if it fails to adjust its services within the prescribed time limit.
The Digital Services Act continues to put pressure on tech giants
Since its official implementation in 2022, the Digital Services Act (DSA) has significantly impacted several tech giants, including Meta, Alphabet, and Apple, all of which have been fined hundreds of millions of dollars by the European Union for alleged violations. The DSA covers privacy protection, data security, and the protection of minors. It also requires platforms to increase service transparency and, more recently, mandate specific changes in areas such as advertising transparency and recommendation system options.
The Dutch court's ruling not only tests Meta's compliance strategy in the European market but also highlights the practical effectiveness of the Digital Services Act in protecting user choice and limiting algorithmic dominance. If other EU courts follow suit, Meta could be forced to overhaul its Facebook and Instagram News Wall functionality across Europe.
