What are the 'dark patterns' being investigated on Facebook and Instagram?

James Cox

Meta, the operator of Facebook and Instagram, is to be investigated by the media regulator Coimisiún na Meán over 'dark patterns'.

So what are these so-called 'dark patterns'?

Dark patterns may be stopping users of the popular social media channels from accessing feeds not based on profiling.

Profiling is the use of automated systems to personalise content or ads based on patterns in a person’s data or behaviour.

What laws do dark patterns break?

The EU  Digital Services Act (DSA) requires social media platforms to provide information and transparent options regarding content recommender feeds.

What punishment could Meta face?

If a platform is found to be in breach of the DSA, Coimisiún na Meán can apply financial sanctions, including a fine of up to 6 per cent of turnover.

Revenues at Meta’s main Irish subsidiary, Meta Platforms Ireland Ltd, reached a record €85.3 billion in 2025.

What do experts say?

Online safety coordinator with the Children's Rights Alliance Noeline Blackwell told RTÉ radio: "People should be able to switch that off easily. The concern that the regulator has, and that they're investigating, is that the company is using children's and young people's profiles in particular to push information at them.

“So they might be looking at something that they genuinely want to look at, but that the information that they get from the company after that might not be in their best interest and might not be suitable and might be harmful.”

She said this can lead to people going down "rabbit holes".

Blackwell added: "Look, that doesn't only happen to children and young people. Lots of people can go down rabbit holes, can find that they have an interest in one thing, and they're fed more and more information, and that they get into a stage where they could end up getting anxious about something.

The regulator isn't the fastest operator in the world. It's not the quickest, but it can be the most comprehensive. And it is what, if Coimisiún na Meán investigates this and finds that these dark patterns are in fact being applied, they can hold the company accountable. And the problem in some ways is that Meta is saying, again, nothing to see here.

"Meta will insist on fair processes. There will be a preliminary finding of fact. And what would be really great would be if Meta would engage with this. And instead of saying, as they are doing, nothing to see here, if they would actually say, we can build a safer system. Because that's really what the industry needs to do, is build safe products and systems."