New EU rules needed to address digital addiction

New EU rules needed to address digital addiction  Press Releases Plenary session IMCO Yesterday  Share this page: Facebook Twitter Linked In Whats App Call to ban addictive techniques like endless scrolling or automatic play   Moving from attention economy to ethical design   Introduction of digital “right to not be disturbed”  All online services and products must be safe for children to use  Parliament calls for the development of ethical digital products that do not rely on dark patterns and addictive designs. In a report adopted on Tuesday with 545 votes in favour, 12 against and 61 abstentions, MEPs warn of the addictive nature of online games, social media, streaming services, and online marketplaces, which exploit users’ vulnerabilities to capture their attention and monetise their data. They want to increase consumer protection through safer alternatives, even if these are not as profitable for social media platforms. New EU rules needed Parliament urges the Commission to address existing legal gaps and introduce new legislation against addictive design. If not addressed, MEPs say, Parliament should use its right of legislative initiative. Their report calls for an assessment and a ban on harmful addictive techniques not covered by the directive on Unfair Commercial Practice, such as infinite scroll, default auto play, constant push and read receipt notifications. Ethical by design Highlighting the lack of transparency consumers and enforcers experience on online...