Tech giants believe sweeping EU digital rules too burdensome, worry about profitability
MORE THAN POLICING BIG TECH FIRMS
EU Commissioner for Competition Margrethe Vestager told CNA that this is more than policing big tech firms, and about regaining user trust.
“For people to embrace technology and to trust it, I think the rules that we put in place are absolutely essential, foundational, for a society where you can trust technology to serve you as a human being,” said the executive vice-president of the European Commission.
“And that I think is in everybody’s long-term interest, also for the profitability of the tech companies.”
Despite the assurances, big tech firms are still concerned about profitability and believe the EU laws are too burdensome.
Apple, Meta, TikTok and online retailer Zalando have all appealed against some of these new rules, while others such as Amazon have appealed the huge fines levied against it.
European Digital Rights, the EU’s leading digital rights group, told CNA that it is a good sign that tech giants are pushing back against the new EU obligations.
“In our experience, when tech companies are unhappy with legislation, it means the legislation works,” said Jan Penfrat, the organisation’s senior policy advisor.
“The idea of the DSA and the DMA – the European laws on platform regulation – is precisely to limit the power of these big companies, and to rein in some of the worst practices that they have had in the past and so obviously they are going to be unhappy about it.”
