British government sets out plans to rein in Big Tech. What next?

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UK government sets out plans to rein in Big Tech

https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-61342576

Excerpt (the emphasis is mine) :

“Large tech companies such as Google and Facebook will have to abide by new competition rules in the UK or risk facing huge fines, the government said.
The new Digital Markets Unit (DMU) will be given powers to clamp down on “predatory practices” of some firms.
The regulator will also have the power to fine companies up to 10% of their global turnover if they fail to comply.
Besides boosting competition among tech firms, the rules also aim to give users more control over their data.
The BBC approached several of the big tech firms, including Apple, Meta and Google, but has received no response.

The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) said as well as large fines, tech firms could be handed additional penalties of 5% of daily global turnover for each day an ofence continues.
For companies like Apple that could be tens of billions of US dollars.
“Senior managers will face civil penalties if their firms fail to engage properly with requests for information,” the government said.
However, it is unclear when exactly the changes will come into force, as the government has said the necessary legislation will be introduced “in due course”.“

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Mr. Austin

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The same applies for EU rulings in a short while

[] 🌹 #нетвойнесУкраиной 🌹 #不与乌克兰开战 🌹 []

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Fred: “The same applies for EU rulings in a short while”

If these new EU regulations, if and when they are adopted and published in detail, also include, same as the British one might, the distinct possibility of suing the big corporation bosses that made decisions that are bad for many, purely for the sake of making more money or pushing aside their competitors — instead of targeting only their companies, that often have to pay huge fines, while those responsible for the decisions get away with a slap on the wrist — then we might see some real changes.

Ex Windows user (Win. 98, XP, 7) since mid-2020. Now: running macOS Big Sur 11.6 & sometimes, Linux (Mint)

MacBook Pro circa mid-2015, 15" display, with 16GB 1600 GHz DDR3 RAM, 1 TB SSD, a Haswell architecture Intel CPU with 4 Cores and 8 Threads model i7-4870HQ @ 2.50GHz.
Intel Iris Pro GPU with Built-in Bus, VRAM 1.5 GB, Display 2880 x 1800 Retina, 24-Bit color.
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Did anyone found it strange the EU’s digital new laws, US’s new laws doesn’t mention Microsoft at all ?

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Alex: “Did anyone found it strange the EU’s digital new laws, US’s new laws doesn’t mention Microsoft at all ?”

Where have you seen those new laws?

For my part and so far, all I have seen are reports that they might be under way, with some examples of Big Tech companies that are likely targets. None of which is comprehensive, or official and, however much one might hope the laws are passed and prove to be effective, with a real bite in them, for all I know and as it has happened in the past, this might never be. I also doubt that the laws, if passed, will mention anyone in particular, because they are supposed to establish rules and procedures that are applied and followed when there is a reason for it. So I don’t believe that there shall ever be a law that reads: “this law is against MS.”

As to MS, and some of the other Big Techs, I agree the new laws should open them to increased scrutiny and more effective sanctions. And to more than that: These are monopolies waiting for some politicians with a spine and not too corrupt already, to take action and break them up. But so far, politicians are mostly looking the other way while Big Tech bosses pursue their constant efforts to enlarge their companies’ portfolios of acquisitions, and some their seemingly endless series of mergers.

And that essentially increases these businesses’ power to frustrate competition, which is something a capitalist democracy really needs to be and remain both.

Ex Windows user (Win. 98, XP, 7) since mid-2020. Now: running macOS Big Sur 11.6 & sometimes, Linux (Mint)

MacBook Pro circa mid-2015, 15" display, with 16GB 1600 GHz DDR3 RAM, 1 TB SSD, a Haswell architecture Intel CPU with 4 Cores and 8 Threads model i7-4870HQ @ 2.50GHz.
Intel Iris Pro GPU with Built-in Bus, VRAM 1.5 GB, Display 2880 x 1800 Retina, 24-Bit color.
macOS Monterey; browsers: Waterfox "Current", Vivaldi and (now and then) Chrome; security apps. Intego AV and Malwarebytes for Macs.

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OscarCP wrote:

Where have you seen those new laws?

EU Digital Services Act and Digital Markets Act

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Thanks Alex. I have downloaded the PDFs of the EU proposals. Very interesting reading.

The two documents are very long. I have scanned most of them, reading in detail some parts, and found no references to specific companies there, except in some footnotes where the names of legal cases (judged matter) that include company names (e.g. Google, Sony, etc. vs. etc.) Maybe I have missed that?

So where are those other companies that are not MS mentioned in the main text of each proposal?

Ex Windows user (Win. 98, XP, 7) since mid-2020. Now: running macOS Big Sur 11.6 & sometimes, Linux (Mint)

MacBook Pro circa mid-2015, 15" display, with 16GB 1600 GHz DDR3 RAM, 1 TB SSD, a Haswell architecture Intel CPU with 4 Cores and 8 Threads model i7-4870HQ @ 2.50GHz.
Intel Iris Pro GPU with Built-in Bus, VRAM 1.5 GB, Display 2880 x 1800 Retina, 24-Bit color.
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Alex5723

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They are no mentioned in the text but do mentioned in articles, references..These are always, Apple, Google, Meta, Amazon. Never Microsoft.

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OscarCP

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OK. But how would MS fit in the context of these two proposed EU laws? Even if it is growing into a huge monopoly that is out to achieve computer and Cloud world domination? Shouldn’t be dealing with something like that the purpose of a different kind of law?

Meta (Google) and Amazon, as well as Facebook and other Big Tech companies either distribute content, or intervene in its distribution in a substantial form: Apple is one of the latter, as it controls much of the smart phone market and, to a large extent, how the phones in that market are used to go online and, among many other things, participate in the reception and, or exchange of ideas, tendentious rumors, lies and conspiracy theories, as well as legitimate news: the”Walled Garden” and all that. So maybe Apple qualifies.

If I understood this correctly, clipping the wings of that kind of technology colossi is what these laws are all about.

While in MS case … ?

Ex Windows user (Win. 98, XP, 7) since mid-2020. Now: running macOS Big Sur 11.6 & sometimes, Linux (Mint)

MacBook Pro circa mid-2015, 15" display, with 16GB 1600 GHz DDR3 RAM, 1 TB SSD, a Haswell architecture Intel CPU with 4 Cores and 8 Threads model i7-4870HQ @ 2.50GHz.
Intel Iris Pro GPU with Built-in Bus, VRAM 1.5 GB, Display 2880 x 1800 Retina, 24-Bit color.
macOS Monterey; browsers: Waterfox "Current", Vivaldi and (now and then) Chrome; security apps. Intego AV and Malwarebytes for Macs.

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