The European Commission is drafting a Digital Fairness Act that would rein in addictive design features and AI chatbots that simulate personal relationships, Bloomberg News reported Monday in an exclusive by Samuel Stolton, Gian Volpicelli and Alberto Nardelli, according to an Investing.com write-up and other open accounts of the story. Euronews said the proposal is due to be presented Wednesday, Nov. 11, and Investing.com also pointed to Wednesday’s expected formal presentation.
Under a draft seen by Bloomberg News, companies would have to give adult users the ability to switch off features that encourage compulsive or excessive use of their services. The measures would also target AI systems that simulate personal relationships to encourage users to keep interacting with them, Bloomberg reported.
Euronews, which also saw a draft, went further than Bloomberg’s “adult users” wording and said all users would gain the right to switch off autoplay, notifications unrelated to their own activity, streak-style rewards and “chatbot features that simulate relationships to keep people engaged.” In a first for EU consumer law, the draft would also set rules for AI shopping agents, requiring users to choose which purchases they must approve and requiring agents to disclose sponsored suggestions, Euronews reported. The reporting does not name specific AI companion or chatbot companies, and it does not describe a ban on those products.
The draft would let the Commission fine companies up to 6% of their global annual turnover, Euronews said. The text is a draft and may change. A Commission spokesperson told Euronews the body “does not comment on leaks.” The regulation would apply 12 months after entering into force and must first be agreed by the European Parliament and member states, Euronews reported.
The Commission’s public page on the review of EU consumer law describes the Digital Fairness Act as an initiative still under preparation, intended in part to tackle dark patterns and the addictive design of digital products. Consumer Commissioner Michael McGrath is steering the file, Euronews said. Investing.com, citing Bloomberg, said European policymakers are also assembling a broader Kids Act. The Commission earlier proposed rules that would restrict under-15s from social media, games and AI chatbots, as AI Tech Daily reported.
Sources
- Bloomberg News: EU Plans Crackdown on Addictive Social Media and AI Bot Features, by Samuel Stolton, Gian Volpicelli and Alberto Nardelli (November 9, 2026)
- Investing.com write-up of Bloomberg News: EU drafts curbs targeting addictive social media features and AI chatbots, by Luke Juricic (November 9, 2026)
- Euronews: EU to blacklist ten manipulative online design ‘traps’, leaked draft shows, by Simon Ormiston (November 9, 2026)
- European Commission: Review of EU consumer law / Digital Fairness Act (open Commission page, retrieved November 9, 2026)
- AI Tech Daily: EU Kids Act draft would restrict under-15s from social media, games, and AI chatbots (September 15, 2026)