How the EU is cracking down on Apple, Google and other big tech
Technology
How the EU is cracking down on Apple, Google and other big tech
(Reuters) - European regulators have launched a series of investigations into Big Tech in recent years.
Here are some of the actions taken:
DIGITAL MARKETS ACT
The European Union's Digital Markets Act (DMA) took effect in 2022 with the aim of curbing the power of Big Tech and ensuring a level playing field for smaller rivals.
Apple is set to be fined under the act, making it the first company to be sanctioned, sources with direct knowledge of the matter said on Nov. 6. The fine is likely to come in November, although the timing could still change, the sources said.
The investigation on Apple is part of three probes started by the European Commission, which acts as the EU competition watchdog.
Meta and TikTok appealed against the gatekeeper status in November, with the latter losing a bid to suspend its designation in February. Apple said in April it would continue to engage with the Commission to comply with the rules.
DIGITAL SERVICES ACT
Tech companies are required to do more to tackle illegal and harmful content on their platforms under the EU's Digital Services Act (DSA) that came into effect last year.
Meta's Facebook and Instagram are being investigated for potential breaches of EU online content rules relating to child safety, which could lead to hefty fines, the Commission said in May.
ANTITRUST
On Sept. 18, Google won its challenge against a 1.49 billion euro ($1.66 billion) antitrust fine imposed five years ago for hindering rivals in online search advertising.
A week before, on Sept. 10, Google lost its fight against a 2.42 billion euro ($2.7 billion) fine levied by EU antitrust regulators seven years ago for using its own price comparison shopping service to gain an unfair advantage over smaller European rivals.
On the same day, Apple lost the fight against an order by EU competition regulators to pay 13 billion euros in back taxes to Ireland, as part of a larger crackdown against sweetheart deals between multinationals and EU countries.
Regulators said in July that Apple had agreed to open its tap-and-go mobile payments system to rivals to settle an EU antitrust probe.
Brussels fined Apple 1.84 billion euros in March for thwarting competition from music streaming rivals via restrictions on its App Store.
The Commission in June charged Microsoft with illegally bundling its chat and video app Teams with its Office product. It is also probing Microsoft's security software practices, a document seen by Reuters showed in February.
EUROPEAN STATES
Individual European countries have also taken actions against Big Tech companies.
Britain's antitrust regulator on Sept. 6 provisionally found Google had abused its dominant position in digital advertising to restrict competition. A month earlier, it started probes into its parent Alphabet and Amazon's collaboration with AI startup Anthropic.
Other measures include a fine against Meta in Italy over unfair commercial practices and a French fine against Google for breaching EU intellectual property rules.
A Spanish regulator, meanwhile, opened an investigation into possible anti-competitive behaviour by Apple's App Store in July.
