Aamir Siddiqui / Android Authority
long story short
- With the Digital Markets Act (DMA) now in force in the EU, the European Commission is investigating Alphabet (Google), Apple and Meta’s compliance measures.
- Google and Apple are under investigation for anti-steering compliance as the DMA forces them to no longer ban businesses in their app stores from informing users of cheaper options.
- Meta’s “pay or consent” model for collecting data for its social media platforms is under investigation.
The European Commission’s Digital Markets Act (DMA) is one of the most comprehensive regulations targeting the dominance of big tech companies in the EU region. Companies such as Apple, Meta and Google (Alphabet) must drastically change the way they operate in the region. As the DMA comes into effect, the European Commission is launching investigations into Alphabet, Apple and Meta for what appear to be premature compliance measures.
As announced in a press release, the European Commission has launched a breach investigation into three prominent large technology companies. More specifically, the Commission is examining these practices:
- Alphabet’s steering rules on the Google Play Store.
- Alphabet’s self-preference on Google search.
- Apple regarding redirection rules in the Apple App Store.
- Apple’s choice of screens for Safari.
- Meta uses a “pay or consent” model for its services.
The Committee suspects that the companies’ measures to comply with the DMA are not being implemented effectively.
Under anti-steering provisions, the companies are not allowed to prohibit businesses operating on their platforms from informing users of cheaper options for purchasing or subscribing outside the platform.
The committee plans to complete its investigation within the next 12 months. It will tell each company what steps it must take to address its concerns and what steps the committee will take. If a company is found to have violated the DMA, the European Commission can impose a fine of up to 10% of the company’s total global turnover, or up to 20% for repeated infringements.
In addition, the Commission has initiated investigations related to Apple’s alternative app store’s new fee structure and Amazon’s marketplace ranking practices.
Additionally, the Commission gave Meta a six-month extension to meet Facebook Messenger’s interoperability obligations.
Do you think all the companies mentioned complied fairly with the DMA regulations? Is the European Commission’s action harsh? Let us know in the comments below!