False messages about products that are almost sold out, subscriptions that are hard to cancel and digital mechanisms that encourage excessive spending are in the European Union's crosshairs. The European Commission presented on Wednesday (11) the Digital Fairness Act, a legislative proposal aimed at strengthening consumer protection in online stores, apps, games and digital services.
The text provides for banning practices known as dark patterns, interface features that manipulate purchasing decisions. Examples include false scarcity alerts used to pressure consumers into buying products.
The proposal also requires greater transparency in advertising carried out by influencers and restricts personalized ads and prices considered unfair, especially those aimed at minors or that exploit users' sensitive information.
Subscriptions, prices and game features are among the targets
For subscription services, the Commission intends to make cancellations easier and prevent unwanted automatic renewals, in addition to tackling situations in which free trial periods turn into unexpected charges. Consumers would also have the right to human customer support.
Another measure would allow digital features that encourage excessive or compulsive spending, such as persistent purchase prompts, to be disabled. In games, the proposal seeks to restrict betting-like mechanisms aimed at minors, including payment practices to win or progress faster.
Price transparency would also be expanded. In ticket sales for sports and cultural events, companies that use dynamic pricing would have to inform prices in real time and the maximum possible price during virtual queues. Purchases made with virtual currencies within apps would also be subject to clearer rules.
According to the European Commission, the set of reforms presented could provide up to €13.7 billion in annual benefits to consumers. The figure represents an estimate of the impact of the proposed measures, not proven savings.
The Digital Fairness Act is part of a package that includes separate initiatives to simplify consumer rules and strengthen enforcement against commercial violations in the European Union.
The new provisions are not yet in force. The texts will be examined by the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union, which may negotiate changes before any possible approval.
