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European Commission proposes Digital Fairness Act to curb manipulative online practices

The proposed rules would ban specific online design tactics and add fines of up to 6% of global turnover, affecting how businesses sell to consumers in the EU.

Photo: Politico Europe

What happened

The European Commission presented the Digital Fairness Act on Wednesday, a proposal to overhaul EU consumer protection rules for online commerce. European Parliament+2 The proposal would ban ten manipulative website and app designs outright, including false claims that stock is running low and pre-ticked add-ons. Euronews It would require a terminate-the-contract button for online subscriptions and bar loot boxes and pay-to-win features for children in video games. Euronews The measures would let people switch off online features that encourage compulsive or excessive use, with fines for companies that violate the rules. Bloomberg The Commission could fine companies up to 6% of their global turnover under the proposal. Euronews

Around it

The Commission's impact assessment estimates the rules would spare consumers 88.4 billion euros in financial losses between 2025 and 2035. Euronews Anna Cavazzini, chair of the Internal Market and Consumer Protection Committee, welcomed the update to consumer law but said the proposal falls short in some respects. European Parliament Industry leaders have pushed back on the potential new rules since the Commission began considering a revision of consumer protection law. Politico Europe

Sources

  1. European ParliamentDigital Fairness Act: Internal Market Committee Chair Anna Cavazzini reacts | News
  2. BloombergEU Targets Social Media Addiction and Online ‘Dark Patterns’
  3. Politico EuropeBrussels takes on the evils of online commerce
  4. EuronewsEU to blacklist ten online design 'traps', leaked draft shows

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