1. The European Union has launched investigations into Facebook and Instagram, focusing on their potential use of "addictive design" features that may be harmful to children. The probes are part of the EU's efforts to protect minors from the negative impacts of social media platforms, particularly concerns around excessive use and mental health effects.

2. The investigations will examine whether the platforms' design and algorithms are intentionally engineered to keep users, especially young users, engaged for prolonged periods, leading to addictive behavior. The EU is concerned that these features may violate the bloc's rules on consumer protection and data privacy.

3. The outcomes of these investigations could result in significant fines or other enforcement actions against Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, if the EU finds that the platforms have violated its regulations. The probes highlight the growing global scrutiny and regulatory pressure on tech companies regarding the potential harms their products may pose to vulnerable user groups, particularly children and adolescents.