The EU has named six tech giants that will have to comply with stringent new rules aimed at protecting consumers and competitors in the digital sphere.
With the passing of the Digital Markets Act (DMA), the EU is creating what it describes as a “rulebook” for online platforms, with the goal of creating “a safer and more open digital space, grounded in respect for fundamental rights”.
The rules will specifically target gatekeepers, defined as having an “entrenched and durable position in the market” that allows them to restrict access to core platform services, such as online search, advertising and messaging and communications.
Today, the EU has published its official list of “gatekeepers”. It features six companies which, combined, oversee 22 platforms:
- Alphabet (which operates Google, Google Maps, Google Play, Google Shopping, Chrome, YouTube and Google Android);
- Amazon (with Amazon Marketplace);
- Apple (with iOS, iOS App Store and Safari);
- Meta (with...