EU proposes limits on addictive features and manipulative online sales

The European Commission proposed a Digital Fairness Act on Wednesday that would restrict manipulative sales practices and require platforms to let consumers turn off addictive features, The Verge reported. The proposal covers gaming, social media and e-commerce, with addictive-design restrictions also applying to AI companions and conversational chatbots. The draft would require clearer pricing and advertising disclosures, easier subscription cancellation and access to human customer service. It would also ban gambling-like pay-to-win and pay-to-progress features for minors. The Commission says violations could draw fines of up to six percent of worldwide annual turnover. The proposal requires approval through the European Parliament and Council of the European Union, where measures could change or be removed.