EU Proposes Huge Fines for Manipulative Online Sales Practices

The European Union has proposed the Digital Fairness Act, which could impose fines of up to 6% of a company’s global turnover for manipulative online marketing. This proposal aims to combat unfair practices in digital markets by increasing transparency, restricting addictive design features, and tightening rules on personalized advertising and influencer marketing. It specifically targets tactics like fake scarcity and gambling-like practices aimed at minors, and will make digital subscriptions easier to cancel.

• EU proposes the Digital Fairness Act to tackle unfair digital market practices.
• Fines of up to 6% of annual global turnover could be imposed.
• Proposal includes greater pricing transparency and restriction of addictive design features.
• Tightened rules on influencer marketing and personalized advertising are included.
• Ban on manipulative marketing tactics like ‘dark patterns’ is proposed.
• Gambling-like practices targeting minors will be restricted.
• Digital subscriptions will be made easier to cancel.