Influencer: EU Commission is planning stricter rules against hidden advertising

Do you know that too? They want to shop online and are put under pressure by an artificial scarcity indicator or a countdown. “Only two pieces available,” they say, for example – and you better grab them quickly. Are the numbers correct? Consumer advocates doubt this.

It is everyday situations like these that the EU Commission wants to better protect people from in the future. This Wednesday, Brussels wants to present the “Digital Fairness Act” (DFA): another legislative package with which Europe wants to combat the dark sides of the rapidly growing Internet economy and close regulatory gaps.

Stricter rules against manipulative information in online shops are only part of the draft law, which the European Parliament and the Council of Member States will then have to discuss. This time, the EU Commission is less interested in taking action against digital monopolies or dangerous products after the fact, but rather in banning practices from the outset that could harm consumers and, in particular, minors.

The Digital Fairness Act is one of a series of regulations with which the EU wants to ensure consumer protection online: The Digital Markets Act (DMA) came into force at the end of 2022. It contains special rules for so-called gatekeepers, i.e. platforms that control many people's access to the Internet. The Digital Services Act (DSA) has also been in effect since the end of 2022, which includes, among other things, regulations for the protection of minors or against illegal products on the internet.

On the basis of the two laws, Brussels has already imposed large fines in the millions against US companies such as Apple, Meta, Google and X, which has also drawn harsh criticism from the US government. Recently, Chinese platforms such as AliExpress, Temu and TikTok have also come into the focus of the EU Commission. With the Digital Fairness Act, Brussels is now also targeting significantly smaller online shops and influencers.