A Dutch MP introduced legislation on Monday 2 November 2026 to enforce an addictive design ban across digital platforms, targeting engagement mechanics such as infinite scrolling, autoplay videos, push notifications, and algorithmic recommendations. The bill would impose a statutory duty of care on social media, gaming, dating, and streaming services operating in the Netherlands.
Key points
- The proposed law would prohibit engagement mechanics including infinite scrolling, autoplay videos, and push alerts across digital services.
- Tech companies would face a mandatory fairness by design standard, requiring them to demonstrate their platforms do not manipulate user behaviour.
- The Dutch initiative aligns with a broader European push ahead of the European Commission’s forthcoming Digital Fairness Act proposal.
What the Dutch bill bans
Barbara Kathmann, an MP representing the centre-left opposition party Progressief Nederland (PRO), submitted the draft law to the House of Representatives in The Hague. The legislation aims to protect both minors and adults from software architectures that exploit cognitive vulnerabilities.
Under the proposal, services would be barred from deploying default interface patterns intended to prolong session lengths indefinitely. The prohibited list covers endless feeds that remove natural stopping cues, automatic playback of videos and audio, and unsolicited push notifications engineered to draw dormant users back to applications.
The bill also targets algorithmic recommendation systems that amplify polarising or extreme material to boost retention. Instead of relying on consumer opt-outs, the measure shifts the legal burden onto technology providers through a statutory “fairness by design” obligation. Platforms would have to prove in advance that their digital architecture is fair and non-manipulative.
Kathmann said: “People need to regain control over their own time and attention.” She argued that manipulative online interfaces harm attention spans, brain development, and mental health across generations.
Cross-border push against manipulative algorithms
Kathmann is coordinating her legislative effort with parliamentarians in Germany, France, Belgium, Luxembourg, Austria, Italy, and Portugal. The group of national lawmakers wants harmonised statutory curbs on retention-maximising software across the European Union.
The move builds on earlier work within European institutions. In 2023, the European Parliament adopted an initiative report authored by Dutch MEP Kim van Sparrentak, also of Progressief Nederland, which formally requested that the European Commission table legislation against addictive digital design.
Van Sparrentak backed the Dutch bill on Monday, warning that individual restraint is insufficient against automated retention systems. She said: “No self-discipline can beat Big Tech’s addictive tricks.” She noted that platforms continue to profit by capturing user attention while commercial lobbyists attempt to soften statutory limits.
The political pressure comes as regulators and civil society groups challenge the technical choices of major platform operators. Rights groups have filed lawsuits against companies including Meta, TikTok, and Snap in several jurisdictions, alleging that interface features intentionally foster compulsive use among young people.
How the proposal fits European tech regulation
The Dutch draft arrives weeks before the European Commission is scheduled to present its own proposal for a Digital Fairness Act in late November 2026. That EU-wide package is expected to address commercial dark patterns, unfair personalisation, and addictive interface design across the single market.
The initiative also intersects with the planned EU Kids Act, which seeks to establish mandatory safety-by-design standards for services accessed by minors, shifting safeguarding duties away from parents and onto software developers.
Those emerging frameworks build upon the Digital Services Act, which has applied across the European Union since 2022. The Digital Services Act requires designated very large online platforms and search engines, such as Meta and Google, to assess and mitigate systemic risks on their networks, including threats to fundamental rights, civic discourse, and mental well-being.
While the Digital Services Act obliges platform operators to audit their risk profiles, the Dutch bill goes further by directly outlawing specific interface mechanics regardless of platform scale. If approved by the Dutch parliament, the statute would make the Netherlands the first country to enact an outright prohibition on engagement-maximising features across all online consumer services.
What happens next
The draft legislation will now proceed to committee review within the Dutch House of Representatives, where lawmakers will debate enforcement mechanisms and supervisory responsibilities. Parliament will then schedule a plenary vote once committee amendments are concluded.
