EU Digital Fairness Act Targets Tech Addiction

The International — European Commission is drafting the Digital Fairness Act (DFA), a new law aimed at regulating addictive design patterns in social media platforms. Commissioner Michael McGrath is tabling the act, which seeks to turn off features like infinite scroll, variable rewards for notifications, and autoplay by default. The act is scheduled for publication in late 2026, with rules coming into force between 2028 and 2030. This initiative follows a Los Angeles jury verdict in March that found Meta Platforms and Alphabet Inc.'s Google liable for the addictive design of their platforms. While tech lobbyists are vehemently opposing the DFA, citing concerns about competitiveness and duplication with existing regulations like the Digital Services Act, proponents argue it is a necessary step to address mental health concerns and consumer manipulation. The International — European Commission, under Ursula von der Leyen's de-regulation agenda, faces pressure to potentially dilute the act, but court cases and public opinion, as highlighted by the Pew Research Center, are pushing for more ambitious reforms. Companies like Salesforce's Salesforce — Slack Technologies are noted for already implementing features that limit endless scrolling, potentially offering a model for compliance.