The Digital Fairness Act is set to address a wide range of practices that are harming consumers, including addictive design. But what is addictive design? How can it be defined and categorised? A new study commissioned by the Austrian Chamber of Labour (AK) and conducted by the Institute for Advanced Studies (IHS) has developed a scientifically grounded taxonomy, identifying logics and features of addictive design used by major social media platforms like TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat, and YouTube. During this event, the study author, Laura Wiesböck, will present the findings. Afterward, stakeholders and policymakers will discuss how the study findings could inform effective consumer protection measures in the context of the Digital Fairness Act.

Guiding questions for the panel discussion:
 

1. What is addictive design and where is it used?
2. Why is addictive design harmful?
3. Why is the current legal framework insufficient to address addictive design?
4. How should the upcoming Digital Fairness Act regulate addictive design?

Presentation of the study “ADDICT - Addictive Design in Digital Consumer Technology”:

Laura Wiesböck, Study Author and Senior Researcher at the Institute for Advanced Studies Vienna

Panel discussion:

Kim Van Sparrentak, Member of the European Parliament, Group of the Greens/European Free Alliance

Maria-Myrto Kanellopoulou, Head of Unit at DG JUST, European Commission

Laura Wiesböck, Study Author and Senior Researcher at the Institute for Advanced Studies Vienna

Urs Buscke, Senior Legal Officer, European Consumer Organisation (BEUC)

Louise Beltzung, Consumer Policy Officer, Austrian Chamber of Labour, Vienna

Moderator: Itxaso Domínguez de Olazábal, Policy Advisor, European Digital Rights (EDRi)


The discussion will be followed by a networking reception.