Key facts
- Portuguese digital rights group D3 has filed lawsuits against Meta's Facebook and Instagram, ByteDance's TikTok, and Alphabet's YouTube.
- The lawsuits accuse the platforms of designing features that keep users hooked.
- D3 highlighted features including infinite scrolling, autoplay videos, persistent notifications, and personalized recommendation systems.
- The group stated that these platforms create behavioral feedback loops similar to those used in the gambling industry.
- Meta agreed to pay up to $18 billion to settle U.S. addiction claims in August.
- TikTok was charged under EU rules in February over allegedly addictive features.
Portuguese digital rights group D3 has filed four collective lawsuits against Meta's Facebook and Instagram, ByteDance's TikTok, and Alphabet's YouTube, accusing them of designing features that foster addiction. The lawsuits, filed between April and May with Lisbon's Civil Court and disclosed on Thursday after the judicial summer break, aim to hold the platforms accountable for user safety.
D3 highlighted features such as infinite scrolling, autoplay videos, persistent notifications, and personalized recommendation systems, stating that these create behavioral feedback loops similar to those used in the gambling industry. The group's president, Ricardo Lafuente, asserted that hyper-addictive social media is not inevitable and a healthier ecosystem is possible with robust enforcement.
These actions follow similar legal challenges globally. In February, TikTok faced charges under EU rules for addictive features, and in August, Meta agreed to a settlement of up to $18 billion in the U.S. over addiction claims. According to SocialMediaTransparency.org, the four platforms had a combined reach of 33 million monthly users in Portugal in the first half of 2026.