The European Union has waged a two-pronged attack on technology titans Google and Apple, alleging that they violated strict digital competition regulations. The latest regulatory move reflects the EU’s determination to rein in the power of leading Silicon Valley players in Europe.
The two firms now stand to suffer heavy monetary fines after the EU brought formal antitrust allegations against them for suspected anticompetitive and anti-consumer business practices. The probes form part of the EU’s broader effort to police its recently enacted Digital Markets Act (DMA).
Regulators argue that Google’s advertising tactics and Apple’s tight app store controls have disproportionately excluded smaller rivals, further cementing their monopoly positions. The firms now have only a short time to react before potential fines are imposed.
Brussels’ increasing scrutiny of Big Tech is likely to have a ripple effect throughout the industry, potentially compelling other digital giants to transform their business to meet the bloc’s stringent new requirements.
