EU wants to know how Apple, Google are tackling e-scams
What's the story
The European Union (EU) is scrutinizing tech giants Apple, Google, and Microsoft for their role in combating online scams. The Financial Times reported that this scrutiny is being conducted under the Digital Services Act. The EU regulators have also included Booking Holdings in their scrutiny, a global accommodation platform that owns Booking.com among other travel websites.
Regulatory concerns
EU's commitment to safer online environment
Henna Virkkunen, an EU official, stressed the growing prevalence of criminal activities on the internet. She said, "We see that more and more criminal actions are taking place online." Virkkunen emphasized the importance of ensuring that online platforms do everything possible to detect and prevent such illegal content. This statement suggests the EU's commitment to making cyberspace safer for all users.
Targeted platforms
Focus on fraudulent apps and fake search results
The scrutiny will look at how Apple and Google are dealing with fraudulent apps, such as fake banking apps, in their app stores. Additionally, Google's and Microsoft's search engines will be assessed for serving fake search results. Booking Holdings will be evaluated for its handling of bogus accommodation listings. This focus suggests the EU's comprehensive approach to tackling online scams across different digital services.
Financial implications
Potential penalties for tech giants
The information requests made by the EU could lead to formal investigations into Apple, Google, Microsoft, and Booking Holdings. If these investigations find any wrongdoing on their part, the companies could face fines of up to 6% of their annual global turnover.