The European Union has today announced it has officially designated six companies as “gatekeepers” under its Digital Markets Act as Apple remains concerned over what the DMA could mean for users’ privacy and security moving forward, according to a new statement reported by Reuters.
TechCrunch reports that the EU today has formally labeled six companies as gatekeepers, officially placing them under the jurisdiction of DMA’s regulations. These companies are Apple, Google, Microsoft, Meta, Amazon, and ByteDance. TechCrunch also reports that as many as 22 services offered by these companies are now subject to DMA scrutiny with the full list below:
- Social Networks: TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn
- Intermediation: Google Play, Google Shopping, Google Maps, Amazon Marketplace, iOS App Store, Meta Marketplace
- Ad Delivery Systems: Google, Amazon, Meta
- Browsers: Chrome, Safari
- Operating Systems: Android, iOS, Windows
- Messaging: WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger
- Search Engine: Google
- Video Sharing: YouTube
Interestingly, the EU has omitted some candidates previously thought to be placed under the DMA, including Gmail, Outlook, Bing, and iMessage. In a statement, the EU confirmed that Google and Microsoft provided sufficient evidence that Gmail and Outlook “do not qualify as gateways for the respective core platform services” despite meeting the DMA’s threshold.
Discover new horizons, always connected with eSIM
Travel the world stress and hassle-free with the best eSIM service available. Enjoy unlimited data, 5G speeds, and global coverage for affordable prices with Holafly. And, enjoy an exclusive 5% discount.
It was reported earlier this week that Apple and Microsoft have privately argued with the EU that iMessage and Bing do not have a user base big enough in Europe to be affected by the DMA. It seems that both companies were successful with their argument, albeit temporarily; TechCrunch reports that the European Commission has opened “four marker investigations to further assess” certain services from Apple and Microsoft for DMA compliance including Bing, Edge, Microsoft Advertising, and iMessage.
To commemorate its gatekeeper status, Apple has issued a statement voicing its concerns over privacy and security implications associated with the new Act.
Our focus will be on how we mitigate these impacts and continue to deliver the very best products and services to our European customers
Apple statement to Reuters
Under the DMA, companies will be required to force their designated services to interoperate with those offered by competitors, allow users to easily remove pre-installed apps, as well as end the prioritization of default apps and services over third-party ones.
Finally, the DMA is set to force Apple and others to open up their platforms to third-party app stores and external payment providers. Companies could be fined a massive 10% of their global revenue overturn for breaching DMA rules, with a bigger 20% fine for repeat offenses.
