EU targets subscription traps, addictive design and hidden fees with new digital rules

From online subscriptions that are difficult to cancel to social media features designed to keep users scrolling, the EU says it wants to make the digital economy fairer for consumers.The European Commission unveiled its proposed Digital Fairness Act (DFA) on Wednesday, setting out new rules to tackle manipulative online practices, improve price transparency and strengthen protections for children.“We are tackling the new unfair commercial practices that distort consumers' choices and put pressure on them, undermining their ability to make informed choices,” said executive vice-president and EU tech commissioner Henna Virkkunen.Among the measures presented in Brussels on Wednesday are a ban on manipulative marketing tactics, known as ‘dark patterns’; requirements for clear and transparent pricing; fairness by design for digital platforms and services; the option for consumers to disable addictive design features; and new rules for influencer marketing.A revision of the Consumer Protection Cooperation Regulation was presented alongside the DFA. It aims to grant the Commission stronger powers to investigate and issue fines directly in large-scale cases affecting consumers across multiple countries, such as the recently launched action against video game companies including Activision Blizzard.“The Digital Fairness Act, together with the update to the Consumer Protection Cooperation Regulation, represents the most significant reform of EU consumer protection rules in more than 20 years,” said EU consumer protection commissioner Michael McGrath.The proposals…