European Regulators Escalate Antitrust Actions Against Big Tech

The recent raid by French antitrust authorities on Nvidia’s offices is one instance in a series of actions taken by European regulators against major technology firms. This heightened scrutiny of Big Tech has unfolded in various ways:

In August, Microsoft proactively separated its chat and video app, Teams, from its Office suite to avoid potential EU antitrust fines. This move came shortly after the European Commission initiated an investigation into Microsoft’s integration of Office and Teams, reported Reuters.

Meta Platforms (formerly Facebook) attempted to appease EU antitrust concerns in July by limiting the use of competitors’ advertising data for its Facebook Marketplace. However, regulators rejected these concessions.

Related: UK To Create New Regulator To Tackle Big Tech

In May, Meta faced a staggering 1.2-billion euro fine from the EU’s leading privacy regulator due to its mishandling of user data. The company was given a five-month deadline to cease data transfers to the United States.

In June, EU regulators warned Alphabet’s Google that it might be required to divest a portion of its adtech business to address anti-competitive practices, potentially resulting in the harshest regulatory penalty to date.

Last year, the EU competition watchdog accused Apple of obstructing rivals’ access to NFC tap-and-go technology, essential for mobile wallets, thereby impeding the development of competing services on Apple devices. This investigation remains ongoing.

These developments underscore the increasing scrutiny and challenges faced by major tech corporations operating within the European market.

Source: Reuters