People will soon have the same rights and protections over digital goods bought online as they do with traditional products and services.
The new law, if passed, means consumers would be entitled to a refund, repair or exchange when they've streamed or downloaded a faulty product such as a video or music.
Customers will also be entitled to "any upgrades to the product or service that are needed to ensure the goods continue to work as expected and agreed, free of charge".
Under the proposed legislation, companies could also be fined if they engage in "misleading and aggressive commercial practices" such as fake reviews.
Some terms and conditions seen as unfair will also be "blacklisted" so businesses can't change the terms of a contract themselves or insert clauses that "indemnify a trader from harm caused by a product or service".
They're among the provisions of the Consumer Rights Bill 2022, which Tánaiste Leo Varadkar has published today following Cabinet approval.
Minister Varadkar said: “For the first time, we’re extending consumer rights over digital goods and services, meaning you will have the same rights over anything you stream or download as you do over a good or service you’d buy in a shop.
"We’re also cracking down on aggressive commercial practices, such as a company leaving fake reviews on its own or competitor’s services.”
He said the new bill is set to be the biggest overhaul of consumer rights in "several decades".
There'll also be new rules for free digital services
Mr Varadkar said: "If you withdraw from such a service, the platform can't use the content you've produced once you've withdrawn... and if you uploaded any videos or photos that content belongs to you and has to be returned to you."
