This is another giant step for the project: a draft version of the Digital Markets Act (DMA) has been approved in forty-three votes to one (not counting one abstention) by the European Parliament. A decision that comes as regulators have already voted the end of the Lightning port in favor of USB-C, a measure that should directly affect the next Apple products.
But what is DMA? This is a set of new directives to be applied across the continent, and which primarily targets very large technology companies such as Google, Spotify, Airbnb or Facebook. Objective: to better protect the personal data of their users, but also to limit their power by avoiding letting them occupy a position monopolistic.
What changes for users?
As a customer, the DMA could better protect you by, for example, preventing Apple from offering you advertising targeted in the App Store based on information collected via Safari or Mail. Similarly, Facebook’s Business Manager should no longer be able to rely on WhatsApp or Instagram statistics to create campaigns.
With the DMA, Europe also wants to put an end to the blocking of the sideloading imposed by Apple. Sideloading is the possibility for Internet users to download content without having to go through native iOS applications. Problem for Apple: in this way, developers are then able to exceed its 30% commission on in-app purchases, as in the case of the famous mobile game Fortnite.
Deployment schedule
For the moment, the Digital Markets Act is still in the cards but a final vote is scheduled for July. There is no doubt that it will be favorable despite the astronomical expenses of GAFAM in terms of lobbyingespecially after the recent score of 43 against 1 obtained on Monday.
When the DMA is signed, it will then take about twenty days to ratify it before it comes into force six months later. In theory, we should therefore see the first effects (and the first fines for offenders) from the start of the year. 2023…
