Addictive Design as an Unfair Commercial Practice: The Case of Hyper-Engaging Dark Patterns

As hyper-engaging dark patterns become widespread on online platforms, concerns grow about their impact on user autonomy and well-being. This course argues that these addictive, data-driven interface designs should be considered unlawful under EU law, particularly under the Unfair Commercial Practices Directive as a form of undue influence. While the Digital Services Act and the AI Act can help address the issue, they are seen as complementary rather than primary tools for regulating such practices.