DMA: European Commission to investigate Alphabet, Apple and Meta

The European executive wants to make sure measures taken by the three Big Tech companies comply with European regulation, implemented on March 7, 2024.

On March 25, 2024, the European Commission announced five formal investigations for non-compliance with the Digital Markets Act (DMA), with regards to Alphabet, Apple and Meta. The platforms and services, considered “gatekeepers” of the European digital market, had up until March 7, 2024, to upgrade their compliance.

“For months, we have been in talks with ‘gatekeepers’ to help them adapt, and we are already noticing a change in the market. Yet we are not convinced the solutions offered by Alphabet, Apple and Meta comply with the requirements for a more fair and open digital space for European citizens and businesses,” stated Thierry Breton, European Commissioner for Internal Market.

The first two investigations involve the app stores of Google and Apple. Indeed, the DMA requires them to “guide” users towards other solutions, outside of Google Play and the Appstore. In doing so the two companies have applied restrictions and fees that could deter users, which is a source of concern for Brussels.

The third investigation is targeting the Google search engine, which allegedly continues to favor the services of its parent company, Alphabet. The fourth one involves the requirement that Apple let users choose their browser and search engine. Indeed, the window offering this option is thought to discourage them from leaving the Apple ecosystem.

The last investigation will look at the “pay or consent” model recently set up by Meta. In regard to Facebook and Instagram, it offers an ad-free paying option, but still gathers personal data, for other uses. Brussels believes the grey area surrounding the data collection could be in breach of the DMA.

Aside from the investigations, the Commission will also carry out an in-depth “inquiry” into Amazon’s marketplace, to determine whether it favors its own products. Moreover, the European executive has granted Meta an additional six months to bring Messenger into compliance in regard to its interoperability requirements.