Overview
- The European Commission presented the draft Digital Fairness Act on Wednesday, naming specific "dark patterns" it would ban and proposing fines up to 6% of a company's global annual turnover for breaches.
- The proposal would make free trials convert to paid subscriptions only with active consent, require reminders before automatic renewals, and give users short-term rights to cancel.
- For children the draft would bar personalized advertising directed at minors, prohibit loot boxes and pay-to-win mechanics for under‑age players, and require in‑game currencies to display real monetary value.
- Platforms and online sellers would have to let users disable features that encourage compulsive use such as autoplay, daily reward streaks and relationship‑simulating chatbots.
- The text now moves to negotiations in the European Parliament and the Council, could replace the 2005 unfair commercial practices rules as an EU regulation, and campaign groups and tech firms are preparing to press for changes as detailed enforcement rules are worked out.