Do online platforms rules apply to an online seller?
Short answer
Only as a business user. The P2B rules give the seller rights against the platform rather than duties of its own.
Read against the registers 2026-08-26.
Who the role is
A trader who sells to a consumer at a distance, on its own site or through a marketplace.
What the topic covers
The EU has the densest platform rulebook: content procedures, business user terms and gatekeeper duties. The United States works through consumer protection enforcement. China regulates the recommendation service itself.
The rows behind the answer
European Union
- Digital Services Act — Regulation (EU) 2022/2065: Notice and action procedures, statements of reasons, trader traceability and advertising transparency.
- Digital Markets Act — Regulation (EU) 2022/1925: Duties for designated gatekeepers on self-preferencing, data combination and interoperability.
- P2B Regulation — Regulation (EU) 2019/1150: Terms for business users: ranking parameters, notice before changes and an internal complaint route.
United States
- FTC Act Section 5, unfair or deceptive practices in AI and data: Ranking, review and endorsement claims are representations that Section 5 can be enforced against.
China
- Provisions on the Management of Algorithmic Recommendation in Internet Information Services: Filing of the recommendation service, an off switch for the user and duties on ranking transparency.
Where companies usually start
- Write the ranking description once and reuse it in the terms, the help page and the filing.
- Keep statements of reasons in a form that can be exported per case.
- Check the business user terms against the notice periods before the next price change.
This page reads published registers and describes common practice. It is not legal advice and it is not a compliance verdict.
Other questions for seller in distance selling
- Do ai governance rules apply to an online seller?
- Do personal data rules apply to an online seller?
- Do cross-border data rules apply to an online seller?
- Do cybersecurity rules apply to an online seller?
- Do health data rules apply to an online seller?
- Do consumer rights rules apply to an online seller?
- Do product safety rules apply to an online seller?
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- Do export controls rules apply to an online seller?
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