This photo taken on February 12, 2023 in Brussels shows the logos of online platforms Google, Facebook, LinkedIn, Amazon, Apple store and Tiktok reflected on a smartphone screen as the European Commission announced last September that the world’s largest digital companies, designated by the EU as “gatekeepers”, must comply with strict do’s and don’ts from 6 March 2024 under landmark legislation, the Digital Markets Act (DMA). The EU has built a powerful legal arsenal to counter internet giants, including the DMA, which seeks to encourage competition in the digital world, and its sister law, the Digital Services Act (DSA). The DSA requires popular social networks and websites to more aggressively police online content and protect consumers while shopping. (Photo by Kenzo TRIBUILLARD/AFP)
Apple’s iMessage messaging service and Microsoft’s Bing search engine will not be subject to stricter regulation under digital platform rules, the European Commission announced on Tuesday.
Two other Microsoft products also qualify for this exemption: the Edge browser and Microsoft Advertising.
New European platform legislation determines that the giant firms it calls “gatekeepers” will be subject to tougher regulatory standards, but these two specific products will be excluded.
Apple and Microsoft, as well as Alphabet (Google’s parent company), Amazon, ByteDance (TikTok) and Meta (Facebook) have been designated as gatekeeper firms by the European Commission and are therefore subject to tougher rules.
The list included four social networks (TikTok, Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn), two messaging systems (Whatsapp and Messenger), three operating systems (Android, iOS and Windows), the Google search engine and the Chrome and Safari browsers.
On Tuesday, the Commission announced that it had decided to close four investigations open into the four services.
Apple and Microsoft praised the Commission’s decision.
“We thank the Commission for agreeing with us that iMessage should not be designated” under the Digital Markets Act (DML), an Apple spokesperson said.
For its part, a Microsoft spokesperson assured that the firm will continue to “work with the Commission and the wider industry to ensure that other designated Microsoft platforms are fully compliant with the LMD.”
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© Agence France-Presse
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