The European Commission proposed new rules on November 11 that would give EU consumers more control over autoplay, endless feeds, and other features that can encourage excessive use. The Digital Fairness Act would also require an accessible way to cancel contracts online when a business offers online sign-ups.
The proposal covers decisions people make every day, from turning off a feed to buying a concert ticket. The European Parliament and the Council still have to consider it, so apps and shops face no new obligations from this announcement alone.
An off switch for features that keep people scrolling
Under the Commission’s proposed regulation, businesses whose digital products encourage compulsive or excessive use would have to give consumers easy access to controls for the features that contribute to it. Users could turn those features off individually or together.
The draft covers automatic playback and feeds that run without meaningful breaks. It also covers some notifications unrelated to a user’s activity, features that reward frequent visits or penalize missed ones, and automated systems that simulate personal relationships and repeatedly prompt people to keep interacting. Some practices involving minors would be covered separately under the proposed EU KIDS Act.
In practice, a feed could still offer autoplay, but people using a service covered by the rule would get a way to switch it off. That puts the emphasis on the controls people can find and use. TechEngage’s coverage of Instagram’s Teen Account rollout explains a separate approach already in use, where the app changes settings based on the user’s estimated age.
Clearer prices and a way to cancel online
The proposal would target misleading design, including false claims that a product is nearly sold out. It would also introduce price disclosures for tickets that can become more expensive during a sale. The draft calls for sellers to show how many tickets in a category are available at the advertised price and the highest price a buyer might have to pay.
If a business lets people enter a contract online, the draft would require it to offer a clearly labeled online cancellation option, even for customers who signed up another way. After a customer submits a cancellation, the company would have to acknowledge it and state when it takes effect. The draft also sets notice requirements for certain automatic renewals.
What happens before the rules can take effect
The Commission also proposed changes to how EU consumer protection rules are enforced. In its November 11 briefing, it outlined a separate reform that would let it investigate large cases directly and impose fines of up to 6% of a company’s worldwide annual turnover in qualifying cases.
The Parliament and Council can change the text as they negotiate. The current draft says the regulation would apply 12 months after it enters into force, and lawmakers could change that timeline before adoption.
TechEngage’s automated news workflow prepared this report and checked its claims against the linked sources.
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