this post was submitted on 07 Sep 2023
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Privacy

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EU unveils ‘revolutionary’ laws to curb big tech firms’ power (www.theguardian.com)
submitted 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) by [email protected] to c/[email protected]
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Haven't seen any posts about this and it's a pretty big thing. From DMA website:

Examples of the “do’s”: gatekeepers will for example have to:

  • allow third parties to inter-operate with the gatekeeper’s own services in certain specific situations;
  • provide companies advertising on their platform with the tools and information necessary for advertisers and publishers to carry out their own independent verification of their advertisements hosted by the gatekeeper;
  • allow their business users to promote their offer and conclude contracts with their customers outside the gatekeeper’s platform.

Example of the “don'ts”: gatekeepers will for example no longer:

  • treat services and products offered by the gatekeeper itself more favourably in ranking than similar services or products offered by third parties on the gatekeeper's platform;
  • prevent users from un-installing any pre-installed software or app if they wish so;
  • track end users outside of the gatekeepers' core platform service for the purpose of targeted advertising, without effective consent having been granted.

We'll see how this plays out but this is first move in a very long time that could open up platform like WhatsApp to 3rd party clients and force Google and Apple to open their mobile OSes to other apps. Maybe we'll see stock Android without play services? One can dream...

P.S. https://digital-markets-act-cases.ec.europa.eu - page about the legislation

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[–] dojan 5 points 1 year ago (3 children)

Big tech companies will be barred from monetising information about phone users, prohibiting them from using the data they collect from apps on a phone to build up a detailed picture of individual consumer behaviours for advertisers.

What! Does the DMA actually say that? It sounds too good to be true, so I’m disinclined to believe it.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago (1 children)

It actually does seem to say that:

Gatekeepers often directly collect personal data of end users for the purpose of providing online advertising services when end users use third-party websites and software applications. Third parties also provide gatekeepers with personal data of their end users in order to make use of certain services provided by the gatekeepers in the context of their core platform services, such as custom audiences. The processing, for the purpose of providing online advertising services, of personal data from third parties using core platform services gives gatekeepers potential advantages in terms of accumulation of data, thereby raising barriers to entry. [...]

To ensure that gatekeepers do not unfairly undermine the contestability of core platform services, gatekeepers should enable end users to freely choose to opt-in to such data processing and sign-in practices by offering a less personalised but equivalent alternative, and without making the use of the core platform service or certain functionalities thereof conditional upon the end user’s consent.

Full text: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=uriserv%3AOJ.L_.2022.265.01.0001.01.ENG&toc=OJ%3AL%3A2022%3A265%3ATOC

[–] dojan 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Wow! Does the word "should" in legal terms carry a different meaning to regular terms? Like, I should go to bed early so I can get up early, but I don't have to.

gatekeepers should enable end users to freely choose to opt-in to such data processing

Here in Sweden I know a lot of official government verbiage makes it sound more like suggestions, and in general one uses fairly soft language, so you know things are serious when official paperwork says things like "are to" or "will." I'm just unsure if the same applies in English.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago

Not a lawyer so no idea. I just pointed out that the legislation does contain language similar to what Guardian claimed. This will be implemented by individual countries, Big Tech will break those rules, someone will sue them and after years of fighting in courts we'll get some final decisions about this.

[–] capt_wolf 3 points 1 year ago (1 children)

We need that in the US for every company...

My wife bought a new car last year and started getting calls and letters about extended warranties and dealers wanting to buy it the same week. I went to urgent care 2 weeks ago with a sinus infection and started getting healthcare emails while I was waiting in the office!

[–] dojan 3 points 1 year ago

Holy shit. That’s terrifying.

[–] SinningStromgald 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

If it is could I buy an EU market phone to use in the US? Once this goes into effect?

[–] dojan 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I don't know why someone downvoted you because it's a fair question. Though I'm unsure anyone has the answer to that right now.

[–] SinningStromgald 1 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Everyone assuming they know the answer or that the answer is obvious. It's entirely possible phone manufacturers do some region lock bullshit or something so the phones only work in the EU. I know that brings up other issues with international travel and such but I'm spitballing here.