A recent report by BEUC (the European Consumer Organization) claims that major tech companies, including Meta, Google, Amazon, TikTok, and Microsoft, are violating key provisions that require clear and informative choices for consumers, in line with the EU’s Digital Markets Act (DMA). The report states that these platforms use deceptive interfaces, behavioral techniques, and unclear consent procedures, making it impossible for users to make free and informed decisions. BEUC emphasizes that this undermines consumer autonomy and violates the protections established by the DMA.
The goal of the EU’s Digital Markets Act is to create fairer and more competitive digital markets by defining a list of “obligations” and “prohibitions” for platforms. In March this year, the European Commission, the EU body responsible for enforcing the DMA, launched multiple investigations into Google, Apple, and Meta for non-compliance. The Commission is currently examining whether Meta’s “pay or accept” model for EU users complies with the DMA’s requirements, which mandate that “gatekeeper platforms” must obtain user consent when intending to combine or cross-use their personal data.
