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 services, MEPs…