Europe is reaching toward a new kind of fairness for the screen-lit hours of ordinary life, where apps and platforms have learned to keep people scrolling, buying, and agreeing to things they never quite chose. The European Commission's proposed Digital Fairness Act, seen in draft form, would require platforms to let users switch off addictive features, outlaw interface tricks that steer people into unintended purchases, and tighten the rules around influencer promotion. Its ambition is to close the gaps that remain after existing laws on data, artificial intelligence and online content, a rem
EU Moves to Ban Dark Patterns and Let Users Switch Off Addictive App Features
Strong rules only matter if they are properly enforced.
Mark
Start with the basics. What is actually being proposed on Wednesday?
Mimi
The Digital Fairness Act. It would ban dark patterns, require clear labels on influencer posts, and give users the right to turn off features deemed addictive. Fines could reach 6% of annual turnover in large-scale cases.
Luke
Worth saying up front: the contents come from draft documents seen by AFP. The final proposal could look different.
Mark
Why is the EU adding another law when it already has the Digital Services Act and others?
Mimi
Supporters say there are gaps. Spanish lawmaker Laura Ballarin Cereza called consumer law a safety net meant to fill them, for children and adults alike.
Luke
Though the piece notes questions are being raised about the rulebook expanding, especially after the plan to ban under-13s from social media.
Mark
The numbers are striking. €10.3 billion a year, and 97% of popular platforms using dark patterns.
Mimi
The first is official data on losses from problematic practices. The second is a figure McGrath has cited.
Luke
Both come from officials arguing for the law, and the source doesn't say how the 97% was measured. Treat them as the Commission's case, not independent findings.
Mark
What are the critics saying?
Mimi
Euroconsumers says rules matter only if enforced. Finance Watch says the draft still lets firms pay influencers to promote risky investments.
Luke
And enforcement is the open question. The Commission has been accused of failing to enforce its existing rules, so nothing here shows yet that this act will fare better.
Der Puls
- Official figures put the cost of problematic digital practices at €10.3 billion a year, and the sense of loss is pressing on regulators.
- Dark patterns are described as nearly universal, with 97% of popular platforms reportedly using them to trick users into purchases or settings.
- Fines of up to 6% of annual turnover are on the table, sharpening the stakes for companies that have built their business on engagement.
- Consumer groups welcome the act but warn that without strict enforcement it could be a promise without teeth.
- NGOs say a loophole remains open, since firms could still pay influencers to promote risky investments, and the final text is yet to be published.
Europe is reaching toward a new kind of fairness for the screen-lit hours of ordinary life, where apps and platforms have learned to keep people scrolling, buying, and agreeing to things they never quite chose. The European Commission's proposed Digital Fairness Act, seen in draft form, would require platforms to let users switch off addictive features, outlaw interface tricks that steer people into unintended purchases, and tighten the rules around influencer promotion. Its ambition is to close the gaps that remain after existing laws on data, artificial intelligence and online content, a reminder that every new protection tends to follow the discovery of a new way to be quietly exploited.
On Wednesday, the European Commission is set to unveil the Digital Fairness Act, a package of consumer rules that would require online platforms to let people switch off features designed to keep them hooked. The draft, seen by Agence France-Presse, would also ban interface tricks that push people into purchases or settings they never intended, and tighten the rules on influencer marketing. Because the draft could still change, nothing is final yet, but the direction is clear.
The stakes are measurable. Official data put the cost of problematic digital practices at about €10.3 billion a year across the EU, and Commissioner Michael McGrath has pointed to research suggesting 97% of popular platforms use dark patterns. Under the proposal, the Commission could fine companies up to 6% of annual turnover in large-scale cases. Other measures would require influencer promotions to carry clear labels, bar pay-to-win mechanics aimed at minors, show the real-world value of in-game currencies, warn users before free trials convert into charges, guarantee access to a human customer service agent, and display full prices before checkout.
The act arrives amid debate over whether the bloc's digital rulebook has grown too crowded. Supporters, including Spanish lawmaker Laura Ballarin Cereza, argue consumer law is meant to be a safety net that fills the gaps. Consumer groups welcome the proposal but insist that enforcement will decide whether it matters. Finance Watch, meanwhile, warns of significant holes, especially the continued ability of firms to pay influencers to promote risky investments. Whether the final text closes that gap is what observers will be watching next.
On Wednesday, the European Commission is due to unveil a package of consumer rules that would force online platforms to let users switch off features designed to be addictive. The proposal, dubbed the Digital Fairness Act, would also ban interface tricks that push people into purchases or settings they did not intend, and tighten the rules on influencer marketing.
The details come from draft documents seen by Agence France-Presse, so the final text could differ. The EU already has laws on data protection, artificial intelligence and online content. Brussels and campaigners argue that gaps remain, leaving consumers exposed to harmful digital practices. The new act is meant to fill them, and it would let the Commission fine companies up to 6% of annual turnover in large-scale cases.
The money at stake is considerable. Official data show that problematic digital practices cost individuals in the EU as much as €10.3 billion (about US$11.5 billion) a year. Consumer protection chief Michael McGrath has previously said the rules are meant to step up the fight against unfair commercial practices. He has pointed to figures showing that 97% of popular platforms use dark patterns, the practice of tricking users into unwanted purchases or into opting in to settings without their knowledge.
Beyond the ban on dark patterns, the drafts include several other measures. Brands would have to label influencer promotions clearly, with a marker such as "advertisement". Minors could no longer be offered "pay-to-win" or "pay-to-progress" features in games, and in-game virtual currencies would have to show their real-world value. Platforms would have to remind users when a free trial ends, stating the end date and what continuing will cost. Users could demand access to a human customer service operator. The EU also wants the full price of an order shown before checkout, which would ban "drip pricing", where fees stay hidden until the end.
The proposal arrives as some question whether the bloc's digital rulebook is growing too large. Brussels has recently unveiled plans to ban children under 13 from social media and to require companies to make platforms safe for minors, on top of the sweeping rules already in the Digital Services Act. Spanish lawmaker Laura Ballarin Cereza defended the new act, saying it aims at a "safer online space for everyone, children and adults alike". She added that it will "fill the gaps" because consumer law is meant to act as a safety net.
Consumer groups have welcomed the proposal, with caveats. Agustin Reyna of the European Consumer Organisation called it a much-needed tool to give consumers back control over how much time and money they spend online. Euroconsumers, which represents users' rights across several EU countries, said strong rules only matter if properly enforced. That point carries weight because the Commission has faced pressure from lawmakers and consumer advocates who accuse it of failing to enforce its existing online content and competition rules.
The NGO Finance Watch said the dark patterns proposal goes in the right direction but lacks the ambition to protect consumers sufficiently in financial services. It warned of "significant holes" in the draft, noting that firms could still pay influencers to promote risky investments. The group had already raised concerns in September about financial influencers and the risks posed by misleading information.
What to watch now is the published text itself, and whether the final rules close the financial-influencer gap. Advocates say enforcement will decide whether the act changes anything.
Bemerkenswerte Zitate
Consumer law is meant to act as a safety net, and the proposal aims to fill the gaps.— Laura Ballarin Cereza, Spanish EU lawmaker
Firms could still pay influencers to promote risky investments.— Finance Watch
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