The EU says big tech companies such as Google and Apple have created a “feudal” system in which they exploit users and suppress competition. This concern dovetails with arguments in books such as Yanis Varoufakis’s Techno-Feudalism, which compare the relationship between big tech companies and users to the relationship between serfs and lords.
Launched on March 7, 2024, the DMA targets companies considered “gatekeepers” due to their market power and control over key services such as app stores, search engines and messaging platforms.
The legislation aims to “open up” those services by allowing users to download apps from sources other than Apple’s App Store, end mandatory use of default services like Microsoft’s Bing search engine in Windows, and ensure compatibility between different companies’ messaging apps.
Failure to comply could result in a fine of up to 20% of a company’s global revenue.
While tech giants have expressed concerns about the changes, the EU says competition is increasing, as shown by the rise of companies such as TikTok, which has been described as a gatekeeper despite its recent launch.
The DMA’s ultimate goal is to encourage “innovation and competition” by creating “a more level playing field for small EU-based companies” such as search engine Ecosia and messaging app Olvid.
Source: Ferra
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