The EU wants to tackle the abuses of influencers on social networks

Brussels will propose to ban within the European Union abusive practices engaged in by certain influencers on social networks, as well as “deceptive interfaces” which aim to manipulate consumers online, according to a document consulted Monday by AFP. The European Commission is due to present a bill on Wednesday aimed at strengthening online consumer protection, called the “Digital Fairness Act” (DFA).

This text, in preparation for months, aims to regulate a whole series of practices which have developed for years on social networks and online platforms, or even in video games, but which were not yet taken into account in European legislation. According to a provisional version of this bill that AFP obtained, the text aims in particular to regulate the activities of influencers. With, for example, an obligation to clearly declare to Internet users content relating to advertising or a commercial collaboration with a brand, as is already the case in certain countries such as France, but also a ban on directly encouraging minors to purchase products.

Brussels also wants to prohibit sellers from promoting products banned or classified as dangerous via influencers. The European executive also wants to tackle “deceptive interfaces”, or “dark patterns”, these functionalities which make it possible to “dupe or manipulate consumers”: messages which aim to make people believe that a product or service is almost exhausted, addition by default of paid options which are difficult to deactivate, or notifications which push consumers to click for false pretexts. The bill also provides for measures against “addictive features” of online platforms (such as automatic playback of videos, or unlimited scrolling of content), and wants users to have the possibility of deactivating them.

Other provisions aim to clarify the conditions when subscribing to online contracts providing for a free trial period, or to better regulate queues when reserving a concert ticket. Full ticket prices must also be displayed from the start, without adding fees at the last moment. Concerning video games, Brussels wants the real value of virtual currencies to be clearly displayed. Their use must be deactivated by default for minors, who must obtain the consent of their parents to use them. And they will no longer be able to use them to progress or win in a game.