Why the Digital Fairness Act needs to tackle addictive design
Why the Digital Fairness Act needs to tackle addictive design
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Invitation
Why the Digital Fairness Act needs to tackle addictive design
Thursday, 5th March 2026, 18:30h , Brussels

The Brussels Office of the Austrian Federal Chamber of Labour (AK EUROPA) and the European Consumer Organisation (BEUC) hosted the following event "Why the Digital Fairness Act needs to tackle addictive design".

Date Thursday, 5th March 2026, 18:30h
Venue Permanent Representation of Austria to the EU
Avenue de Cortenbergh 30, , 1040 Brussels
Yes, I will attend the event

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. 

Guiding questions of the panel discussion:

What is addictive design and where is it used?

  1. Why is addictive design harmful?
  2. Why is the current legal framework insufficient to address addictive design?
  3. 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)
 

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The Austrian Federal Chamber of Labour is by law representing the interests of about 3.6 million employees and consumers in Austria. It acts for the interests of its members in fields of social-, educational-, economical-, and consumer issues both on the national and on the EU-level in Brussels. Furthermore the Austrian Federal Chamber of Labour is a part of the Austrian social partnership. The Austrian Federal Chamber of Labour is registered at the EU Transperency Register under the number 23869471911-54.