New European Union "Consumer Protection Rules" - Are they like China's Digital ID Social Credit System?

[Tom Nolan + 2,443]

The European Union is currently implementing regulations ostensibly designed to protect the populace under the guise of “Consumer Protection Laws”.   A Digital ID will be required for individuals which eventually will be tied to internet access.  “Misinformation” or “Disinformation” against the government narratives will be censored.  Thus, for example, if an individual questions the Official “Climate Change” dogma, then that person’s Digital ID will be ‘turned off’.

European Union -  EUs updated “Consumer Protection Laws” that take effect on May 28. Rules that impact all merchants selling to the EU, regardless of where their business is located. 

EXCERPTS

3.1. Green transition

The European Green Deal sets out a comprehensive strategy to transform the EU into a fair and prosperous society, with a climate-neutral, resource-efficient, clean and circular economy in which economic growth is decoupled from resource use and where negative impacts on natural capital and biodiversity are reduced. This requires profound and rapid change in our habits and behaviour to reduce our environmental footprint in all areas from housing and food to mobility and leisure.

the Renovation Wave 33 presents a strategy to make homes for consumers fit for a greener and digital society, including strengthened information tools for consumers.

These efforts could be complemented by promoting new consumption concepts and behaviours, such as the sharing economy, new business models allowing consumers to buy a service rather than a good, or support for repairs through community and social economy organisations actions (e.g. repair cafés) and for second-hand markets.

In addition, consumers need to be better protected against information that is not true or presented in a confusing or misleading way to give the inaccurate impression that a product or enterprise is more environmentally sound, called “greenwashing”.

Consumer energy choices will be key to deliver on the new climate targets for 2030 and climate neutrality by 2050.

The digital transformation offers also other new opportunities to provide more targeted and understandable information. The development of digital product passports under the Sustainable Products Initiative 47 would aim to help inform consumers on the products’ environmental and circular aspects.

3.2. Digital Transformation

Commercial practices that disregard consumers’ right to make an informed choice, abuse their behavioural biases, or distort their decision-making processes, must be tackled. These practices include the use of ‘dark’ patterns 57 , certain personalisation practices often based on profiling, hidden advertising, fraud, false or misleading information and manipulated consumer reviews.

Moreover, a universally accepted public electronic identity – based on the consumers’ choice, their consent and the guarantee that their privacy is fully respected in line with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) – could give consumers the possibility to manage the access and use of their data in a fully controlled and secure manner. The Commission is currently reviewing such a system, taking into account the interest and protection of consumers

The use of alternative categories of data in combination with automated decision-making for credit scoring raises questions as to what data should be used to assess consumers’ creditworthiness and highlights the risks of discrimination from decisions based on opaque algorithms – a type of risk likely to be addressed also through the above-mentioned legal act on requirements for Artificial Intelligence.

https://ec.europa.eu/info/law/law-topic/consumer-protection-law/review-eu-consumer-law_en#guidance

https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A52020DC0696&qid=1605887353618

https://web.archive.org/web/20220520115754/https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A52020DC0696&qid=1605887353618