Since January 1, 2026, the Dutch users of Instagram and Facebook have the option to persistently switch to a feed not based on profiling. This gives users unprecedented control over the way they spend their attention and time online, and increases democratic resilience. Meta was ordered by the Dutch court to make this option possible in a case brought by the Dutch NGO Bits of Freedom, that sued Meta over violations of the Digital Services Act (DSA).

In October 2025 the court found that “a non‑persistent choice option for a recommendation system runs counter to the purpose of the DSA, which is to give users genuine autonomy, freedom of choice, and control over how information is presented to them.” The court also concluded that the way Meta had designed its platforms constituted “a significant disruption of the autonomy of Facebook and Instagram users."

Meta had until December 31, 2025 to comply with the changes ordered by the court. Since a week, Meta seems to have implemented most of the required changes. Dutch users can now persistently choose a feed in which only posts from followed friends and organizations are displayed in chronological order.

For many people, social media is their most important news source. What these platforms decide to present to us therefore greatly influences our worldview. It has become commonplace for Big Tech platforms and third party actors to try to shape public debate through platforms' algorithmic recommender systems. Among others, this is why the DSA is intended to give users more autonomy and control over the information they see.

The effect of Meta's algorithmic feed on individuals can not be underestimated. Meta carefully curates its feed to prey on a user's distinct vulnerabilities, thereby maximizing the time a user spends online, their susceptibility, and the platforms' ad revenue.

"Being able to choose a chronological feed of the accounts you follow, not based on profiling, represents a return to the original reason we got hooked on these platforms in the first place: we want to share our lives with our friends and families. Being able to do this without the risks associated with Meta's algorithmic systems is a great relief. Next step is to make sure Meta offers this option to all users across Europe. We will also make an effort to ensure other platforms to comply with our laws," says Evelyn Austin, Executive Director of Bits of Freedom.

While Meta did implement changes in order to (partially) comply with the court order, Meta also has filed an appeal. The hearing will take place next Monday, January 26, in Amsterdam.