The European Commission wants online platforms to stop nudging people into spending more time and money than they planned. On Wednesday it published a proposed Digital Fairness Act aimed at gaming, social media and e-commerce services. The draft covers fake scarcity claims, loot boxes, hidden influencer ads and hard-to-cancel subscriptions.
The proposal would ban manipulative marketing tricks known as dark patterns. One example is a site claiming that a product is almost sold out when nothing supports that claim.
Platforms would also have to give users a switch for addictive features. Persistent prompts, endless scrolling and autoplay videos would all need an off option. The same restrictions would apply to AI companions and general conversational chatbots, which increasingly hold long sessions with users.
Minors get extra protection. The draft bans gambling-like mechanics such as pay-to-win and pay-to-progress for children. It also limits personalised ads and prices that target minors or lean on sensitive personal data.
Influencers fall under the same net. Anyone posting paid content must disclose advertising clearly, and the rules target creators who exploit the trust of younger audiences. That closes a gap many national regulators have struggled to police across borders.
Subscriptions are another target. Cancelling would need to be as easy as signing up, and services would have to remind customers before a free trial ends or an automatic renewal charges them. Transparent pricing rules would also cover dynamic pricing and purchases made with in-app currency, where real costs are often hard to read.
The Commission estimates the act would save EU consumers up to €13.7 billion, or about $15.1 billion, every year. It also frames the plan as fairer competition for businesses that do not rely on pressure tactics.
Nothing changes immediately. The text is a proposal, so it now goes to the European Parliament and member states for negotiation. Final rules typically arrive in a weakened or expanded form after that process, and platforms will get a transition period before enforcement starts.
Brussels has been tightening digital consumer rules at a steady pace. A €2 EU fee on online orders from outside Europe took effect on November 1. Politicians in Germany are also pushing for new levies on AI profits, as our report on Karin Prien’s proposal explained.
For Dutch and European shoppers, the practical test will be enforcement. Rules on dark patterns only matter if regulators can inspect app stores, game stores and social feeds quickly enough to keep up.
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