Empowering the ‘Unempowerable’. Behavioural Insights into Informing Consumers about Internet Access Services in the European Union under Regulation 2015/2120

Abstract

The European consumer policy relies on the ideal of consumer empowerment, which involves providing all consumers with detailed information on the goods on offer. This policy also applies to the electronic communications sector, and empowering consumers who are the end-users of internet access services. The author reviews behavioural law and economics literature that pertains to consumer empowerment and applies the resulting insights to interpret Article 4 (1) of Regulation 2015/2120 laying down measures concerning open internet access in a way that would truly empower the sophisticated consumers. The author also proposes advising or obliging the providers of internet access services to label those services to provide even the unsophisticated consumers with meaningful and understandable information.