* Ireland opens probes into Meta over algorithmic content

controls

* Meta faces Irish probes over alleged 'dark pattern'

features

(Adds bullet points, comments in paragraphs 7-8)

DUBLIN, May 5 (Reuters) - Ireland's media regulator has

opened investigations into Meta's Instagram and

Facebook over concerns EU users cannot easily control what they

see online and may be steered by algorithms into highly

personalised feeds, it said on Tuesday.

Under the EU's Digital Services Act (DSA), the regulator can

probe major online platforms and search engines headquartered in

Ireland, and fine them up to 6% of global turnover for breaches

of online content rules.

Coimisiun na Mean, the regulator, said the suspected

breaches concern whether users can easily select and modify the

content they see, and whether Facebook and Instagram's

interfaces deceive or manipulate them away from doing so.

It said it had received complaints about possible "dark

patterns," or deceptive design features, which could prevent

users from exercising their right under the DSA to opt for

recommender-system feeds that are not based on profiling of

personal data.

The regulator recognised "the potential harm that these

algorithms can potentially cause by repeatedly pushing harmful

content into the feeds of users, especially children and young

people," said John Evans, its digital services commissioner.

META SAYS IT HAS NOT BREACHED DSA

Aspokesperson for Meta said the social media company

disagreed with "any suggestion" it had breached the DSA, adding

it had introduced "substantial changes" to its processes and

systems to meet regulatory obligations.

Meta in 2023 introduced an option for Facebook and Instagram

users in Europe to view and search content that is not based on

their previous activity and personal interests. It said it would

engage with the Irish regulator and share details of this work.

The European Commission, which carries out many

investigations under the DSA on its own, charged TikTok in

February with breaching the regulations over addictive features,

including its recommender system.

The regulatory moves under the DSA, which requires large

online platforms to do more to tackle illegal and harmful

content, have drawn criticism from the U.S. government.

The Irish regulator has opened investigations in the last

six months into X, TikTok and Microsoft's LinkedIn into

potential breaches of other EU online content rules.