The European Commission has unveiled the most significant overhaul of European Union consumer protection rules in more than two decades, taking direct aim at the deceptive and manipulative practices that have taken hold in the digital economy.
The Digital Fairness Act proposes banning dark patterns, the deceptive design tricks that push people into choices they would not otherwise make, such as falsely claiming a product is nearly sold out. It would also curb dynamic pricing by ticket retailers, force influencers to disclose when they are paid to promote a product, and outlaw personalized advertising and pricing that target minors or exploit sensitive personal data.
The reforms would make digital subscriptions easier to cancel, let users switch off addictive design features such as autoplay and engagement streaks, and guarantee consumers a right to reach a real human in customer service.
The package is built to fill the gaps left by existing laws including the Digital Services Act, the Digital Markets Act, and the AI Act, without duplicating them, and to simplify enforcement across all 27 member states. Regulators would gain direct powers to investigate large-scale harms and fine companies up to 6 percent of their worldwide annual turnover, while non-EU firms would be required to appoint a local legal representative to cooperate with authorities.