TikTok and Meta are challenging EU rules against the dominance of digital giants

The technology companies behind social networks TikTok and Facebook, China’s ByteDance and America’s Meta are challenging in court new European Union rules designed to counter the dominance of digital giants and to make online competition more level by giving consumers more choice, the Associated Press reported.

TikTok said in a blog post that it was appealing the company’s classification as a digital “gatekeeper” under the Digital Markets Act (DMA). The Chinese platform said it is playing the role of a new competitor in the social media field.

For its part, Meta said it disagreed with the EU’s decision to include its online shopping and sales service Marketplace and messaging app Messenger as so-called “portal services” under the new rules. The company explained that they were looking for “clarifications on specific legal issues”.

The digital markets legislation is due to come into force by March. It establishes a list of activities allowed or prohibited for large technology companies. The aim is to give consumers more choice, and companies face significant penalties if they don’t comply with the new rules.

Designating TikTok as a digital “gatekeeper” undermines the purpose of the Digital Markets Act by “protecting the actual digital gatekeepers from newer competitors such as TikTok itself,” the company said, adding that China’s video content app is “perhaps the most capable competitor” to the social media giants, BTA writes.

US corporations Amazon, Apple, Google and Microsoft also made it to the watchdog list in September, along with ByteDance and Meta .

This is because they provide 22 “core platform services” – such as the Chrome and Safari browsers, the WhatsApp messaging app and Google Maps navigation. , used by businesses and citizens.

Meta does not oppose the decision to be designated as a watchdog, but the company believes that the European Commission was wrong to specifically name Marketplace and Messenger as the main platform services.

The company also announced that it will continue to work constructively with the European Commission, reaffirming its firm commitment to complying with the Digital Markets Act.