EU Lawmakers Adopt New Technology Rules Aimed at Curbing Tech Giants

EU lawmakers approved new rules to rein in tech giants such as Google, Amazon, Apple, Facebook and Microsoft. In addition to the rules known as the Digital Markets Act (DMA), lawmakers also approved the Digital Services Act (DSA), which requires online platforms to do more to combat illegal content online.

The DMA is going to force companies to make changes to their business by requiring them to make their messaging services interoperable and give business users access to their data.

Business users will be able to promote competing products and services on the platform and transact with customers outside the platforms.

Companies will be prohibited from favouring their services over those of competitors or preventing users from removing pre-installed software or apps, two rules that will hit Google and Apple hard.

Companies face fines of up to 10% of annual global turnover for violating the DMA, and 6% for violating the DSA.

The European Commission has set up a working group expected to include around 80 officials, which critics say is insufficient. Regulators will also set up a European Centre for Algorithmic Transparency to bring in data science and algorithm experts to help with enforcement.