European Commission Remains Firm Against US Tech Giants

The European Commission stated on Tuesday that its investigations against Apple, Google, and Meta would continue unaffected, despite the upcoming inauguration of Donald Trump as President of the United States. The planned actions against major technology companies fall under the EU's Digital Markets Act and Digital Services Act, which aim to ensure that large platforms adhere to market rules and address illegal content. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg expressed that Europe is in the process of institutionalizing censorship. However, a Commission spokesperson emphasized that the enforcement of EU regulations would not be influenced by any change of administration in third countries. According to the Financial Times, the European Commission may reconsider its investigations against Apple, Meta, and Google. This reassessment could lead to scaling back or adjusting these investigations, especially as U.S. companies urge Trump to get involved. However, the Commission dismissed claims that this constitutes a review. Instead, there are upcoming meetings to assess the status of the investigations, resource allocation, and overall operational readiness, according to a spokesperson. The proceedings are still at a technical level and have not reached a point where decisions can be made. It was acknowledged that there might be political pressure on the technical work; nonetheless, it is important to separate the two processes to ensure legally sound investigations.