The CMA sets out new regime for tech giants such as Google and Facebook
The UK’s competition regulator, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), has set out a new pro-competition regime for digital markets that’ll affect Google and Facebook.
The advice outlines a regime that will “proactively shape the behaviour of the most powerful tech firms” to drive “greater competition and innovation”.
Technology companies s with ‘strategic market status’ such as Google and Facebook will be legally bound by a code of conduct overseen by a ‘Digital Markets Unit’ (DMU) which will govern how they do business and treat their users.
CMA boss Andrea Coscelli said: “competitors should face a level playing field – enabling them to deliver more of the innovative products and services we value so highly.”
The regulations will include pro-competitive interventions such as interoperability requirements and enabling consumers to control and share data.
Information commissioner, Elizabeth Denham, welcomed the advice saying: “The dominance of a few major players in digital market impacts on people’s data protection rights when they use these platforms.”
The CMA is developing the regime alongside Ofcom, the ICO and FCA. The government has committed to legalise the DMU when parliamentary time allows.