Dutch Court Orders Meta to Offer Algorithm-Free Timelines to Users

A Dutch court has ruled that Meta must provide Facebook and Instagram users in the Netherlands with an easy and permanent option to use a chronological, non-algorithmic timeline, in compliance with the European Union's Digital Services Act. The court found that Meta's current practice of automatically reverting users to a profiled, algorithm-driven timeline constitutes a prohibited "dark pattern" that infringes on users' freedom of information and autonomy. Meta is required to make the non-profiled timeline option directly accessible on the homepage and ensure that users' preferences remain in effect even after closing the app or navigating away. The ruling was prompted by concerns that algorithmic feeds could influence voter behavior ahead of upcoming elections, with digital rights group Bits of Freedom, which brought the case, emphasizing the risks posed by concentrated power in American tech companies. Meta has two weeks to comply, facing fines of up to €5 million if it fails. Meta responded by stating that regulatory issues should be addressed at the European level rather than by individual countries' courts.