After Apple And Meta, Now It's Google And X's Turn! Europe Is Not Afraid Even Though It's Threatened By Trump!

European Commission Leader! Ribera, (photo: x @josecalvogomez ·)

JAKARTA - Alphabet's Google and Elon Musk's X platform will probably be the next major tech company to be fined by EU regulators. They are getting tougher despite concerns about rates replies from the US. This was revealed by three sources who have direct knowledge of this issue, Wednesday, April 23.

European Union antitrust regulators on Wednesday recently imposed the first fine under European law aimed at limiting the power of large tech companies. A total fine of 700 million euros (Rp13.4 trillion) was imposed on Apple and Meta for violating regulations in the Digital Markets Act (DMA) and orders to stop anti-competitive practices.

The European Commission, led bytensive Ribera, insists that all companies operating in the European Union must comply with European law and respect the applicable values in the region. However, some parties in the US, including President Donald Trump, see this new rule as a form of tariff against US companies. Ribera firmly responded, emphasizing that European law must be respected regardless of the origin of the company.

At the same time, the fines imposed on Apple and Meta raise questions about a possible reply from the US, which may impose tariffs on EU countries imposing sanctions on US companies.

The Digital Markets Act (DMA), which Trump mentioned in Executive Order last February, has set a series of rules for big technology companies to facilitate user switching between competing online services such as social media platforms, internet browsers, and app stores, as well as providing greater opportunities for small competitors to compete.

Although the fines imposed this time are relatively smaller than the penalties imposed by major tech companies under the leadership of Ribera's predecessor, Margrethe Vestager, a source from the European Commission explained that the main focus is on company compliance rather than just imposing sanctions.

However, this smaller fine size does not reduce the European Union's determination to enforce DMA rules. In the near future, Ribera is expected to make decisions regarding further measures against Google, which could include orders to sell part of its lucrative advertising technology business, to address concerns over its market dominance deemed unfair.

This decision, if taken, would be the first step by the European Union to force large companies like Google to make drastic changes to its business structure, something it has never done even though Microsoft has struggled for two decades against a similar antitrust process in Europe.

Fines imposed on Apple and Meta show that despite threats from the US to apply tariffs in retaliation, the European Union remains steadfast in its competitive principles, according to sources from the European Commission.

The process of investigating social media platform X, which is owned by Elon Musk, has also attracted attention. Last year, X was charged with violating the EU's Digital Service Act (DSA), and further decisions that include a possible fine are expected to be announced in the coming months.