EU Targets 'Dark Patterns' in Sweeping Digital Fairness Act

The European Commission has introduced the Digital Fairness Act, a legislative package designed to eliminate "dark patterns"—manipulative practices that steer consumers toward decisions they would not otherwise make, according to reporting from Wired.

The rules specifically target the psychological hooks used to drive user retention and monetization. The act will allow consumers to disable addictive design features, such as autoplay videos and "streaks," specifically naming apps like Duolingo and Strava. Additionally, the legislation targets Ticketmaster and other ticket retailers by curbing dynamic pricing and mandates that influencers disclose paid promotions.

According to Wired, the reform also simplifies subscription cancellations, bans personalized pricing or advertising that targets minors or exploits sensitive data, and guarantees the right to human customer service. Michael McGrath, the EC Consumer Protection Commissioner, stated that these updates are the most significant consumer protection reforms in over two decades, noting that previous rules predated the attention economy and e-commerce.

Enforcement carries heavy financial stakes. The European Commission can now investigate large-scale impacts and levy fines of up to 6 percent of a company's worldwide annual turnover. Wired reports that the regulator has already identified breaches of the Digital Services Act related to "addictive design" and the "rabbit hole effect" of algorithms at ByteDance's TikTok, as well as similar features on Meta's Facebook and Instagram. Non-EU firms will be required to appoint local legal representatives to ensure cooperation with authorities.