The European Union (EU) has unveiled a list of tech giants that will be subjected to new regulations under the Digital Markets Act (DMA). Dubbed “gatekeepers,” these companies, including Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, ByteDance, Meta, and Microsoft, are seen as having significant market power that requires proactive competition rules.
The DMA designates 22 core platform services operated by the six gatekeepers, encompassing social networks, online marketplaces, search engines, browsers, operating systems, and messaging services. The regulations curb anti-competitive behaviors, such as self-preferencing, controlling app stores, and stifling rivals’ services. Noncompliance penalties can range from 10% to 20% of global annual turnover. However, some tech giants, such as Microsoft and Apple, have faced challenges and objections over including certain services.