Executive Vice-President Henna Virkkunen, in a written answer on 1 July 2026, outlined the European Commission's approach to tackling deceptive interface designs and profiling-based recommendation systems under the Digital Services Act (DSA), responding to a question from MEP Dan-Ştefan Motreanu (PPE). The answer emphasises that the DSA requires very large online platforms to offer at least one non-profiling-based option for each recommender system, easily accessible at the point of recommendation, and bans manipulative interface design. Virkkunen cited ongoing investigations into Temu and Shein for suspected non-compliance with recommender system obligations, and noted that AliExpress, after a similar probe, committed to providing directly accessible controls to disable personalised recommendations. She also referenced a preliminary finding that TikTok's interface is addictive and in breach of the DSA, which, if confirmed, would force TikTok to change its design. The Commission is also monitoring YouTube's compliance following a recent complaint. Beyond the DSA, Virkkunen pointed to EU consumer law and the upcoming Digital Fairness Act as tools to address dark patterns, and noted that deceptive design to collect personal data is prohibited under the General Data Protection Regulation. The answer signals that the Commission is actively using its investigative powers and expects platforms to give users meaningful control over their online environment, with concrete enforcement actions already underway against major platforms.
Source✉ Open answer ↗
Asked byDan-Ştefan Motreanu (PPE)