Osegi
Business·2 min read

Digital Fairness Act: EU Wants Duolingo Streaks Switched Off

Under the EU's proposed Digital Fairness Act, anyone could turn off streaks in Duolingo or Strava, along with autoplay. Fake scarcity and hidden influencer ads are targeted too.

A smartphone showing a language-learning app streak counter in front of the European Commission building in Brussels.
Image: WIRED
SUMODialoediviewergiftdetect

If the European Commission gets its way, you will be able to switch off the streak counter that nags you to do your Duolingo lesson. That is one small part of the Digital Fairness Act, a consumer law package the Commission announced on Wednesday.

The act is aimed at "dark patterns", design tricks that push people into choices they would not otherwise make. One example is falsely claiming a product is running low. The proposal would also curb dynamic pricing by ticket sellers such as Ticketmaster, force influencers to disclose paid promotions, and make digital subscriptions easier to cancel. Consumers would get a right to talk to a human in customer service. Personalised ads and pricing aimed at minors, or built on sensitive data, would be ruled out.

Can you turn off streaks and autoplay under the new EU rules?

According to the proposal, yes. All consumers would be able to disable addictive design features such as video autoplay and streaks, including in apps like Strava and Duolingo.

The EU has already done this for children. Its Kids Act bans under-13s from social media and chatbots and targets addictive design in those services. Ursula von der Leyen argued in September that the problem is wider: "Addictive design, for example, is harming everyone."

How it fits with existing EU law

Some of this is already covered by the Digital Services Act. On Friday the Commission said TikTok breached it with the "rabbit hole effect" of its For You feed. It had earlier found TikTok's infinite scroll, autoplay and push notifications broke the rules, and in July it found Meta in breach over similar features on Instagram and Facebook. Both could face fines of up to 6 percent of worldwide annual turnover.

Consumer Commissioner Michael McGrath called the package the most significant reform of EU consumer protection in more than 20 years. Henna Virkkunen, an executive vice president, said it fills gaps between the Digital Markets Act and the AI Act rather than duplicating them.

Enforcement would get stronger too. The Commission would gain direct powers to investigate large-scale harm and fine firms up to 6 percent of global turnover, and companies outside the EU would have to appoint a local legal representative.

Apps worth a look

SUMO: the number puzzle

Tap the right tiles, add them up, hit the target. Easy to learn, hard to master. Free, for all ages.

Tags:digital fairness acteuduolingodark patternsconsumer protectionticketmaster

More from this day

See all →

More in: Business

See all →