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ARTICLE · 30 NOVEMBER 2023

Don't Manipulate Consumers With Online Tricks, Regulators Warn Online Businesses

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The UK's Competition and Markets Authority and Information Commissioner's Office have warned online businesses against harmful design practices that could undermine people's control over their personal information...

United KingdomAntitrust/Competition Law
Jonathan Peters
Jonathan Peters

The UK's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) and Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) have warned online businesses against harmful design practices that could undermine people's control over their personal information, and lead to worse consumer and competition outcomes.

A joint paper published by both regulators sets out their concerns under data protection, consumer and competition law, gives practical examples of potentially harmful design practices, and establishes best practice principles for businesses' "Online Choice Architecture". Those principles include putting users at the heart of design choice, using design that empowers user choice and control, testing and trialling design choices, and ensuring that design choices comply with relevant laws.

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