EU Targets Dark Patterns and Addictive Design
The S&D group wants the Digital Fairness Act, expected 11 November, to curb deceptive interfaces and dynamic pricing.
Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Internet
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Members of the European Parliament's S&D group say they are not concerned by the backlog of forthcoming EU digital legislation. The group published a position paper calling for strict measures against deceptive interfaces, addictive features, and dynamic pricing. This is a policy position, not an enacted rule.
Why it matters
The IMCO committee faces a growing stack of European Commission digital proposals in the second Commission term, and the S&D group is pressing for the Digital Fairness Act to fill gaps left by the Digital Services Act. Its argument that technology moves faster than law signals that consumer-protection rules for online interfaces are becoming a central front in EU digital regulation.
The evidence is a political position paper from the S&D group, not a measured technical result, so no performance figures or benchmarks are reported. The group names three targets (dark patterns, addictive features, and dynamic pricing), but the extraction does not state how these would be measured or enforced.
The players
Alex Agius Saliba
Vice-President of the S&D group responsible for digital affairs, overseeing the group's EU technology-policy agenda.
Laura Ballarín Cereza
Spanish S&D coordinator on the IMCO committee, which handles the internal market and consumer protection files.
The details
Dark patterns are interface designs that nudge users toward choices they might not otherwise make, such as hidden opt-outs or confusing consent buttons. Addictive features are design elements that encourage prolonged use, and dynamic pricing adjusts prices based on user data or demand signals. The S&D group wants the Digital Fairness Act to regulate all three, extending protections beyond what the Digital Services Act currently covers.
Timeline
September: the regulation on protecting minors online was presented.
Thursday 5 November: the S&D group published its position paper.
11 November: the Digital Fairness Act is expected to be presented.
The Tech Race
The S&D position sits within the EU's sequence of digital laws, following the Digital Services Act and running alongside the regulation on protecting minors online presented in September. Rather than competing with a named rival effort, the positioning is about closing gaps in the existing EU framework on consumer protection.
If adopted, the proposals would affect how online interfaces, subscription flows, and pricing systems are designed for users across the EU. No timeline for enforcement or effective dates has been announced, and the Digital Fairness Act is not yet law.
The takeaway
The next checkpoint is the expected presentation of the Digital Fairness Act on 11 November, which will show whether the Commission adopts the S&D group's demands against dark patterns and addictive design. Watch that proposal's text to see whether dynamic pricing is addressed.
What happens next
The Digital Fairness Act is expected to be presented on 11 November, which will show whether the S&D demands on dark patterns, addictive features, and dynamic pricing are reflected in the Commission's proposal.
Further reading
For the broader policy context, explore Internet coverage on how governments are regulating online platforms.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Agence Europe.
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