consumer-protection

name	consumer-protection
description	Use when identifying consumer protection laws that apply to software products and digital services. Covers terms of service, EULAs, refund policies, dark patterns regulation, subscription practices, the EU Digital Markets Act, and consumer rights across jurisdictions. USE FOR: terms of service, EULA, consumer rights, refund policies, dark patterns, auto-renewal laws, Digital Markets Act, Digital Services Act, FTC Act, CAN-SPAM, children's privacy (COPPA), subscription traps DO NOT USE FOR: data privacy regulations (use privacy-data-protection), content liability (use content-moderation), contract drafting (consult legal counsel)
license	MIT
metadata	{"displayName":"Consumer Protection","author":"Tyler-R-Kendrick"}
compatibility	claude, copilot, cursor
references	[{"title":"Federal Trade Commission (FTC) — Consumer Protection","url":"https://www.ftc.gov/about-ftc/bureaus-offices/bureau-consumer-protection"},{"title":"EU Digital Markets Act (EUR-Lex)","url":"https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2022/1925/oj"},{"title":"EU Digital Services Act (EUR-Lex)","url":"https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2022/2065/oj"}]

Consumer Protection

Disclaimer: This skill provides general educational information about legal topics relevant to software development. It is not legal advice. Laws vary by jurisdiction and change frequently. Always consult a qualified attorney licensed in the relevant jurisdiction before making legal decisions for your organization.

Overview

Consumer protection laws govern the relationship between software companies and their users or customers. These laws increasingly target digital-specific practices like dark patterns, auto-renewal subscriptions, and manipulative design. As regulators worldwide focus more attention on digital markets, software companies must ensure their user interfaces, pricing practices, marketing, and terms of service comply with a growing body of consumer protection legislation. Failure to comply can result in enforcement actions, significant fines, class action lawsuits, and reputational damage.

Key Consumer Protection Laws

Law	Jurisdiction	Scope	Key Requirements
FTC Act Section 5	US	Unfair or deceptive acts or practices in commerce	Truthful advertising, clear disclosures, substantiated claims
CAN-SPAM Act	US	Commercial email messages	Opt-out mechanism, honest subject lines, physical mailing address, identification as advertisement
COPPA (Children's Online Privacy Protection Act)	US	Online services directed at or knowingly collecting data from children under 13	Verifiable parental consent, data minimization, clear privacy policy, right to review/delete child's data
EU Consumer Rights Directive	EU	Business-to-consumer digital contracts	14-day withdrawal (cooling-off) right, pre-contractual information disclosure, refund within 14 days of withdrawal
EU Digital Markets Act (DMA)	EU	Gatekeeper platforms (large online platforms meeting specific thresholds)	Interoperability requirements, prohibition on self-preferencing, data portability, ban on tying services
EU Digital Services Act (DSA)	EU	Online platforms and intermediaries	Content moderation transparency, illegal content removal processes, algorithmic transparency, annual risk assessments