The EU Digital Services Act bans Addictive Tricks on Social Media

Portugal Business News - Valerie Charoux
8 hours ago
3 min read

Social Media News Europe - The EU Digital Services Act bans addictive tricks on social media and enforces Safety by Default with the highest privacy settings for every minor on social media in the EU. Here is the list of the main mandatory measures under the EU Digital Services Act for EU citizens:

What are the new EU regulations to protect minors?

The new EU regulations to protect minors are based upon the foundational principle that social media should not be a trap with addictive tricks that keep minors scrolling for hours, since the attention of minors is not a product.

In order to protect the mental health of minors against Big Tech profits, here are the 3 main measures that are mandatory under the EU Digital Services Act:

⛔ No ‘addictive’ loops, like manipulative auto-play and constant ‘nudges’.

💙 Health over likes, as platforms must prioritize kids’ wellbeing over engagement.

🛡️ Safety by Default, with the highest privacy settings now mandatory for every minor in the EU.

The endless scroll, ‘ding’ of notifications, and auto-playing on social media platforms stops here for social media platforms.

What are main mandatory measures under the EU Digital Services Act for EU citizens?

Here is the list of the main mandatory measures under the EU Digital Services Act for EU citizens:

1 - Transparency in content removals:

If your content is removed or suspended, social media platforms must explain why this has been done.

2 - Options to appeal to content moderation decisions:

If you disagree with a content moderation decision taken by a social media platform, you can appeal it through the platform itself or through an out-of-court dispute settlement body, which is faster and cheaper than going to court.

3 - Easy flagging of illegal content:

You can report illegal content, goods or services via an easy-to-use mechanism directly on the digital platform you are using. Platforms must respond to your reports and offer options to appeal their decisions.

4 - Enhanced protection for minors:

Social Media platforms must take measures to safeguard minors on their services, such as reducing the risks of exposure to age-inappropriate content like gambling or pornography. The EU Digital Services Act also introduces a complete ban on showing targeted advertisements to children.

5 - Feed options:

On large social media platforms with over 45 million monthly users in the EU, you can now opt for non-personalized feeds. This way, you decide whether to see content based on the algorithm’s suggestions, sometimes pushing specific content which may be more appealing or even addictive, or other criteria, such as the chronological order.

6 - Ad transparency:

Ads must be clearly labelled as such and include information like who is placing them and why you are seeing them, while very large online platforms are required to store ad information in a publicly accessible repository. Digital platforms can no longer show you ads based on your sensitive data, such as sexual orientation, religion, or race.

7 - Ban on dark patterns:

Deceptive design tactics, such as aggressive pop-ups or confusing and misleading consent buttons, are now prohibited on social media platforms.

8 - Verified sellers:

Marketplaces must verify and display the contact details of sellers, so you have clear information about whom you are buying goods or services from.