Yazılar

Europe Squares Up to Big Tech, Risking Ire of Washington

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European governments are intensifying scrutiny of major social media platforms, responding to mounting public concerns over child safety and harmful online content. The move reflects a broader push to regulate digital platforms but risks escalating tensions with the United States, where many of these companies are headquartered.

Spain recently ordered prosecutors to investigate Meta, X and TikTok over the alleged spread of AI-generated child sexual images. Ireland has also opened an inquiry into X’s AI chatbot Grok over its handling of personal data and potential to generate harmful sexualised content.

Several European countries including France, Spain, Greece, Denmark, Slovenia and the Czech Republic are now considering restrictions on social media use by adolescents. Germany and the United Kingdom are exploring similar measures, citing growing worries about online addiction, abuse and declining academic performance.

These national initiatives highlight frustration among policymakers who believe EU-level responses may be too slow. Under the Digital Services Act, platforms can face fines of up to 6% of global annual turnover if they fail to tackle illegal content. However, enforcement remains politically sensitive.

U.S. President Donald Trump has warned of potential tariffs or sanctions if European regulations disproportionately affect American technology firms. Meanwhile, EU officials maintain that the bloc is acting to safeguard democratic systems and ensure responsible technology use.

Some European leaders have framed the regulatory push as part of a broader effort to reduce digital dependence on foreign platforms and strengthen regional technological sovereignty.

EU starts proceedings to assist Google in complying with tech rules

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The European Commission has launched formal proceedings aimed at assisting Google in complying with the European Union’s Digital Markets Act, a landmark set of rules designed to curb the market power of large technology companies. The move signals closer engagement between EU regulators and Alphabet’s Google as the bloc enforces its new digital competition framework.

The Commission said the proceedings are intended to clarify how Google can meet its obligations under the DMA, which requires designated gatekeepers to ensure fair competition and greater openness in digital markets. Google has already taken steps to comply, including licensing certain search data to competitors and maintaining that its Android operating system is open by design.

However, Google warned that additional requirements could have unintended consequences. A senior company lawyer said some rules appear to be driven by complaints from rivals rather than consumer interests, and argued that excessive constraints could undermine user privacy, security and innovation.

The case highlights the balancing act facing EU regulators as they seek to rein in Big Tech while avoiding measures that could disrupt services used by millions of consumers and businesses across Europe.

EU to make WhatsApp more responsible for tackling harmful content

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The European Commission has formally designated Meta-owned WhatsApp as a “very large online platform” under the EU’s Digital Services Act, increasing its responsibility for addressing illegal and harmful content. The designation specifically applies to WhatsApp’s channels feature, not to its core private messaging service.

According to the Commission, WhatsApp channels reached an average of 51.7 million monthly active users in the European Union during the first half of 2025, exceeding the 45 million user threshold set by the DSA. Platforms above this limit are subject to stricter obligations, including enhanced risk assessments and stronger measures to limit the spread of illegal content.

The Digital Services Act requires very large platforms to invest more heavily in content moderation systems, a process that can be costly due to the scale of data involved and that also raises concerns around user privacy. Other companies already classified under the same category include Meta’s Facebook and Instagram, Google’s YouTube, TikTok, Temu and Microsoft’s LinkedIn.

Following the designation, Meta has four months to bring WhatsApp channels into full compliance with the additional DSA requirements, setting a deadline of mid-May 2026. A WhatsApp spokesperson said the company remains committed to improving safety and integrity measures as its channels continue to grow across the EU and globally.