By Reuters | Updated: May 13, 2024
PARIS, May 13 (Reuters) – The European Commission said on Monday it had designated hotel reservation website Booking.com as a “gatekeeper”, which subjects it to strict EU obligations, and has opened an investigation to further determine the regulatory status of social media network X.
Online advertising services X Ads and TikTok Ads as such did not qualify as gatekeepers under the EU Digital Markets Act (DMA), the EU added.
The Commission said in March that Elon Musk’s X, TikTok owner ByteDance and Booking.com may meet EU criteria subjecting them to tough tech rules as so-called gatekeepers.
While the EU on Monday said Booking.com fell under the DMA – in line with the company’s own view – it had opened a market investigation to further assess the rebuttal lodged by X, opposing the gatekeeper status.
ByteDance was labelled a gatekeeper in July last year but TikTok has challenged that at Europe’s second-highest court.
The Digital Markets Act is one of the most stringent regulations targeting tech giants’ market dominance, imposing tougher obligations to moderate content, allow fair competition and make it easier for consumers to switch between services.
It designates companies with more than 45 million monthly active users and 75 billion euros ($81 billion) in market capitalisation as gatekeepers, providing a core platform service for business users.
PARIS, May 13 (Reuters) – The European Commission said on Monday it had designated hotel reservation website Booking.com as a “gatekeeper”, which subjects it to strict EU obligations, and has opened an investigation to further determine the regulatory status of social media network X.
Online advertising services X Ads and TikTok Ads as such did not qualify as gatekeepers under the EU Digital Markets Act (DMA), the EU added.
The Commission said in March that Elon Musk’s X, TikTok owner ByteDance and Booking.com may meet EU criteria subjecting them to tough tech rules as so-called gatekeepers.
While the EU on Monday said Booking.com fell under the DMA – in line with the company’s own view – it had opened a market investigation to further assess the rebuttal lodged by X, opposing the gatekeeper status.
ByteDance was labelled a gatekeeper in July last year but TikTok has challenged that at Europe’s second-highest court.
The Digital Markets Act is one of the most stringent regulations targeting tech giants’ market dominance, imposing tougher obligations to moderate content, allow fair competition and make it easier for consumers to switch between services.
It designates companies with more than 45 million monthly active users and 75 billion euros ($81 billion) in market capitalisation as gatekeepers, providing a core platform service for business users.
@ Thomson Reuters 2024
