The European Union is preparing the Digital Fairness Act, a legislative project aimed at curbing addictive design patterns in digital services. The proposal seeks to grant adult users the ability to disable features that encourage excessive platform usage, including those found in social media and AI chatbots that simulate personal relationships.
Major technology firms, including Meta, Google, and ByteDance, are expected to be primary targets of these regulations due to their use of engagement-driven mechanics. The European Commission is already investigating Meta and TikTok under the existing Digital Services Act regarding similar concerns about addictive design.
The proposed legislation includes strict enforcement measures, with potential fines reaching up to 6% of a company's global annual revenue for non-compliance. Additionally, the EU plans to introduce the EU Kids Act, which mandates that platforms be designed with safety as a default setting and imposes restrictions on social media access for minors.
The European Commission is scheduled to present the Digital Fairness Act this coming Wednesday. While the commission has not yet provided official comments on the specific contents of the draft, the initiative represents a significant expansion of the EU's regulatory framework for internet platforms.
