EU reevaluates big tech probes amid shifting political landscape

Digital Markets Act probes under review.
Several companies, including Meta and Spotify, have criticised the EU’s inconsistent approach to data privacy and AI.

The European Commission is reassessing its investigations into major tech companies, including Apple, Meta, and Google, under its landmark Digital Markets Act (DMA), according to the Financial Times. The review, which covers cases initiated since March 2024, comes as tech giants urge President-elect Donald Trump to push back against EU regulatory scrutiny. Sources suggest Trump’s presidency has influenced the review, though it was not the direct trigger.

The DMA, implemented in 2022, seeks to curb the dominance of Big Tech by imposing strict rules on their practices and fines of up to 10% of annual revenue for violations. The review may lead to narrowing or altering the scope of current probes, with all decisions and potential fines paused during this process. Technical work on the cases, however, will continue.

This development coincides with Meta’s recent overhaul of its US fact-checking program and CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s signals of a more conciliatory stance toward the Trump administration. Meanwhile, EU regulators are also examining whether Elon Musk’s social media platform X has violated content moderation rules, further highlighting the tech industry’s complex regulatory challenges.