EU targets Big Tech with sweeping new antitrust legislation

Moving on from interoperability in messaging services, there's a lot more in the proposed Digital Markets Act. For instance, bloatware and other preinstalled applications on iOS and Android devices must be removable by the user, and users must be given choice of which browser, e-mail application, etc. they want to use by default. This is a complete no-brainer, and something virtually every user will welcome.

There's also a lot of measures regarding data transparency and advertising. For instance, smaller companies that sell goods on e.g. Amazon must be given access to Amazon's analytics and similar data. In a similar vein, people who buy ads on Google or Facebook must be able to assess the reach of their ads. And, of course, big technology companies will no longer be allowed to give preference to their own services and products.

These are all excellent steps in the right direction. Fines for violating the DMA will be massive - up to 10 percent of worldwide annual revenue, 5 percent of average daily turnover, and more.