On Nov. 11, 2026, the European Commission said it adopted a proposal for a Digital Fairness Act, along with a Simplification Directive. The Commission's page calls it a change to consumer law aimed at problems people report online. It is a proposal, so nothing changes yet.

What it would cover

The Commission's factsheet lists these changes:

  • Dark patterns: fake scarcity claims and similar tricks would be banned.
  • Subscriptions: clear information on free trials and automatic renewals, simpler cancellation and a right to reach a human in customer service. The proposal text also says you would have to actively accept the switch from a free trial to a paid plan, after a reminder.
  • Addictive design: an option to turn off features meant to encourage excessive or compulsive use, such as persistent prompts. Gambling-like features such as pay-to-win and pay-to-progress would be banned for minors.
  • Loot boxes and in-app currency: the proposal text calls for price transparency on in-app purchases made with virtual currencies and for odds to be shown for loot boxes.
  • Influencer marketing: ads would have to be clearly shown, with no ads for harmful products.
  • Personalisation: no personalised ads or pricing aimed at minors or based on sensitive data.
  • Ticket pricing: clearer information when prices rise dynamically or in virtual queues.

Fines and reach

For major EU-wide cases, the Commission itself could impose fines of up to 6% of a business's worldwide annual turnover, according to the factsheet. Non-EU businesses that target EU consumers would have to appoint a representative in the EU.

When it could apply

Parliament and the Council still have to agree on the text, and the final version may differ. The proposal says the regulation would enter into force on the twentieth day after publication in the Official Journal and apply 12 months after that. The proposal leaves the exact date blank, so none is set yet.

What it means in the US

The rules would apply to people and businesses in the EU. We found no statement from any company about changing its apps or subscriptions outside the EU because of this proposal. For related stories, see the Gemini lawsuit over a school Chromebook and the X Subscription plans. More in mobile.

What we checked

We read the Commission's Digital Fairness Act page, its consumer package factsheet and the text of the proposal on Nov. 11, 2026. We did not read the impact assessment or the Simplification Directive.