Debate: Consumer protection in online video games: a European Single Market approach
Date: TUESDAY, 17 JANUARY 2023
Speaker: Didier Reynders
Language: EN

The report, however, rightly points to the need for more responsibility, especially since nearly all children between 11 and 14 years old – and many younger ones – play video games and spend an increasing amount of time online. Indeed, consumer protection in video games is essential to ensure a safe and trustworthy digital environment.  The Commission is taking several initiatives in this regard. First, by ensuring the correct transposition and implementation of the existing EU consumer law instruments, which already address effectively several issues that video games might raise. For example, the Unfair Commercial Practices Directive covers the marketing of so-called ‘loot boxes’ and price transparency.  The Commission has brought these and other consumer issues relating to video games to the attention of the Consumer Protection Cooperation Network – the CPC – which brings together the national authorities responsible for the enforcement of EU consumer law. Already in 2016, the Commission and the CPC network addressed major app stores to ensure that they inform consumers up front of the existence of in-game purchases before they download the games, as well as about the cost of such purchases. Such games cannot be labelled as ‘free to play’.  It was also requested that parents be fully empowered to implement parental controls. Most recently, last year, the Commission underlined to the two major EU trade associations representing the video game sector the fundamental compliance principles defined by the CPC network in relation to in-app purchases, and that these apply also to loot boxes.  Children, in particular, are at risk. Unfortunately, online grooming approaching children for the purposes of sexual abuse has also been growing in past years, rising by more than 80%. Companies are still doing too little to protect children on gaming services. Therefore, the Commission put forward a legislative proposal in 2022, obliging providers of online games to perform a risk assessment and to take measures to better protect children. Where such preventive measures fail, companies can be obliged to check for grooming. En outre, la Commission encourage les autorités nationales à prendre des mesures pour lutter contre les pratiques qui se sont manifestées dans le domaine des jeux en ligne. Nous prévoyons également de collaborer avec les organisations de consommateurs afin de recueillir des exemples concrets de pratiques commerciales agressives à l’encontre des utilisateurs. Dans le cadre de L’année européenne de la jeunesse 2022, les centres européens des consommateurs ont mis au point des outils de sensibilisation qui peuvent être utilisés dans les écoles. Dans le cadre d’un cours d’anglais, par exemple, les enfants peuvent s’informer sur les principaux défis en matière de protection des consommateurs dans les jeux en ligne. Par ailleurs, la Commission recensera les recherches existantes sur l’impact du neuromarketing sur les enfants afin d’identifier le plus tôt possible les nouvelles techniques de marketing qui pourraient être hautement manipulatrices. La Commission a également lancé une évaluation de la législation européenne en matière de protection des consommateurs en ce qui concerne l’équité numérique. Notre objectif est de déterminer si les instruments législatifs horizontaux de l’Union en matière de protection des consommateurs demeurent adéquats pour assurer un niveau élevé de protection des consommateurs dans l’environnement numérique et quelles améliorations pourraient être nécessaires. Par exemple, nous nous concentrons sur des questions telles que les  Finally, the renewed Better Internet for Kids strategy aims for every child in Europe to be protected, empowered and respected online. The Commission invites Member States and the video game industry to be involved in the implementation of the three pillars of the strategy, namely safe and age-appropriate digital experiences, digital empowerment and skills, and active digital participation. This strategy recognises that online gaming is now a major online activity for children, which presents opportunities but also comes with risks. Industry-led efforts play an important role in ensuring a safe gameplay environment to protect children while also promoting healthy gameplay habits.  Under this strategy, the Commission will facilitate the preparation of a comprehensive EU code of conduct on age-appropriate design. This code will build on the regulatory framework provided in the Digital Services Act and will be in line with the Audiovisual Media Services Directive and the General Data Protection Regulation. The Commission is now in the process of setting up a special group to assist us in the drafting of this code. Industry representatives, including the gaming industry, have been invited to apply. I thank you again for this report and thank you for your attention, of course. I am now looking forward to hearing your remarks and interventions.