The DSA did not go far enough. With the future Digital Fairness Act, the Commission is exploring a large-scale age verification system, possibly via the digital identity wallet, while considering tightening rules on designs deemed addictive and targeted advertising to minors. We can expect a technical text with explosive political implications.
In the fall of 2026, the European Commission is set to present its proposal for a « Digital Fairness Act » (DFA). Officially, the initiative has two objectives: to strengthen consumer protection and to « simplify the rules for businesses, » according to the Commission’s page dedicated to the revision of consumer law. But the first « scoping » hearing held on January 26, 2026, in the European Parliament’s IMCO committee already illustrates a paradox: the more Brussels promises to reduce the regulatory burden, the more it considers measures that involve entering into the business model and very architecture of digital services, to the point of the explosive hypothesis of limiting minors’ access to certain services, as desired by the European Parliament.
« Strong support »
Speaking to MEPs, Isabelle Pérignon (DG JUST) recalled the starting point: the « fitness check » carried out in 2024 led the European Commission to…
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