European Commission Launches Antitrust Investigations into Big Tech Companies

The European Union announced this week that it was opening an investigation into Google’s parent Alphabet, Meta and Apple over possible violations under the Digital Markets Act.

The European Commission said it was looking into Alphabet’s rules on steering on Google Play and Google Search, Apple’s steering rules in its App Store, and the choice screen for Safari and Meta’s “pay or consent model.”

All three major U.S. tech companies were designated as alleged “gatekeepers” under the newly implemented DMA.

“The commission suspects that the measures put in place by these gatekeepers fall short of effective compliance of their obligations under the DMA,” the European Commission said in a statement.

According to the DMA, companies like Apple and Alphabet are required to allow app developers to “steer” customers to offers outside of the app stores without having to pay any additional charges or fees.

The commission claimed it was concerned that the two tech giants, who operate app stores on some of the most widely used smartphones and tablets are still imposing “various restrictions and limitations.”

“These constrain, among other things, developers’ ability to freely communicate and promote offers and directly conclude contracts, including by imposing various charges,” the commission said.