EU Digital Fairness Act — Proposal Q4 2026

Your UI might be illegal by 2027.

The EU Digital Fairness Act will ban dark patterns, addictive design, and manipulative interfaces across all digital products targeting European consumers. Non-compliance will be expensive.

€7.9B
Annual harm to EU consumers from unfair digital practices
Q4 2026
Expected DFA proposal — compliance window closing
€500K+
Estimated compliance cost for mid-sized companies

What is the Digital Fairness Act?

The DFA is the EU's forthcoming legislative response to manipulative digital design. Led by Commissioner Michael McGrath, it builds on the Digital Services Act to close critical gaps in consumer protection. It will apply to any business targeting EU consumers — regardless of where you're headquartered.

🚫

Dark Patterns

Misleading interfaces, false urgency, confirm-shaming, hidden costs, pre-ticked boxes, and misdirection.

🎰

Addictive Design

Infinite scroll, autoplay, loot boxes, reward loops, streak mechanics, and engagement traps.

🎯

Unfair Personalization

Exploitative profiling, hyper-nudging, vulnerability targeting, and manipulative algorithmic amplification.

💰

Subscription Traps

Hidden auto-renewals, difficult cancellation flows, drip pricing, and deceptive subscription terms.

Why start your audit now?

⚠️ The Risk of Waiting

  • 62% of stakeholders already support stronger dark pattern rules — the regulation will pass
  • Retroactive enforcement on existing products is standard EU practice (see: GDPR, DSA)
  • Post-regulation audits cost 3-5x more due to demand surge and rushed timelines
  • Competitor advantage: compliant companies will market trust as a differentiator
  • Cross-border enforcement via CPC network means no hiding in other jurisdictions

✓ The Early Mover Advantage

  • Fix issues at your own pace — no regulatory deadline pressure
  • Align with existing DSA Article 25 obligations simultaneously
  • User trust and conversion rates improve when dark patterns are removed
  • Demonstrate compliance readiness to investors and board members
  • Shape your industry's best practices before they become mandated

How we audit your product

A systematic review aligned with the DFA's expected scope, DSA Article 25, and the Commission's Digital Fairness Fitness Check findings.

01

Interface Scan

Automated and manual review of every user-facing flow: sign-up, purchase, subscription, cancellation, consent, and data-sharing interfaces. We flag patterns against 70+ known dark pattern taxonomies.

02

Behavioral Analysis

Assessment of addictive design elements: infinite scroll, autoplay, reward loops, notification pressure, and engagement mechanics. Special focus on features targeting minors.

03

Compliance Report

Detailed findings mapped to expected DFA requirements, DSA Article 25, UCPD, and GDPR. Includes risk severity scoring, remediation roadmap, and implementation timeline with estimated effort.

Get DFA updates before your competitors do

Monthly intelligence on the Digital Fairness Act — legislative updates, compliance deadlines, and actionable preparation steps. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.

Join compliance leads from e-commerce, gaming, SaaS, and platform companies preparing for the DFA.

Request your dark pattern audit

Know exactly where you stand before the DFA drops.

We'll review your digital product against the expected DFA scope, identify high-risk patterns, and deliver a remediation roadmap with clear priorities and timelines.

🌍 Serving EU & international companies
⏱️ Typical audit: 2-4 weeks