Portuguese group D3 sues Meta, TikTok and YouTube over addictive design

Lisbon, Portugal - A digital rights group called D3 has filed lawsuits against Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube, claiming these platforms use design elements to keep users engaged, it announced on Thursday. These lawsuits, which allow associations to represent a larger group of consumers, come after similar legal actions in other countries questioning social media's addictive design.

The four platforms were sued under the umbrella of collective actions, meant to protect a broader group of users. A spokesperson for Alphabet's Google, which owns YouTube, said the company's core goal is to provide a safer and healthier experience for users. They pointed to features such as "Take a Break" and bedtime reminders to help users regulate their screen time. The company said they would review the case and respond accordingly.

Meta, the owner of Facebook and Instagram, and ByteDance, the owner of TikTok, have yet to comment on the lawsuits. Filed by the law firm Andersen Tax & Legal Iberia with Portugal's Civil Court between April and May, the legal action aims to hold these platforms accountable and compel them to create a safe experience for their users.

D3 highlighted features like infinite scrolling, autoplay videos, constant notifications, and personalized recommendation systems as contributing to the addictive nature of these platforms. By eliminating natural breaks in usage, constantly serving tailored content, and repeatedly urging users to return, the platforms create feedback loops similar to those found in the gambling industry, according to D3.

D3 President Ricardo Lafuente stated that platforms do not need to be hyper-addictive and that a healthy, productive, and educational social media ecosystem is possible with robust, enforced rules directed at platforms that ignore them.

Social media has been under increasing scrutiny in both the U.S. and Europe. In February, TikTok was charged under EU rules for allegedly having addictive features. In August, Meta agreed to pay up to $18 billion to settle U.S. addiction claims. As of the first half of 2026, according to SocialMediaTransparency.org, the four platforms collectively reached 33 million monthly users in Portugal.