國際時事跟讀 Ep.K656: EU Takes On Big Tech Giants, Including Apple, Amazon, and Meta
The European Union (EU) is taking action against the dominance of six major tech giants, introducing new rules to empower users and promote fair competition. Amazon, Apple, Microsoft, Alphabet (Google's parent company), Meta (Facebook's owner), and ByteDance (TikTok's parent company) are all designated as "gatekeepers" under the EU's Digital Markets Act. These regulations aim to prevent tech giants from monopolizing digital markets, imposing hefty fines, or even requiring them to divest parts of their business to operate in Europe.
歐盟（EU）正針對六家主要科技巨頭的主導地位採取行動，引入新規則以賦予用戶更多權力並促進公平競爭。根據歐盟的《數位市場法案》，亞馬遜、蘋果、微軟、Alphabet（谷歌的母公司）、Meta（臉書的持有者）和字節跳動（抖音的母公司）都被指定為“守門人”。這些規定是為了防止科技巨頭壟斷數位市場，處以高額罰款，甚至可能要求它們出售部分業務以在歐洲繼續運營。
These rules mean that European users of Big Tech social media and chat services could soon have the freedom to message rival platforms, opt out of personalized ads, and choose their preferred search engine or browser, rather than being stuck with default options. This initiative is part of a broader update to the EU's digital rulebook, following the implementation of the Digital Services Act to safeguard internet users.
這些規則意味著歐洲的大型科技社群媒體和聊天服務用戶可能很快就能夠自由發送消息給競爭對手平台，選擇不接受個人化廣告，並選擇他們喜好的搜索引擎或瀏覽器，而不必被默認選項所限制。這項措施是歐盟數位法規更廣泛更新的一部分，緊跟在《數位服務法》的實施以保障網路用戶之後。
European Commissioner Thierry Breton stressed the significance of these rules, stating, "DMA means more choice for consumers. Fewer obstacles for smaller competitors. Opening the gates to the Internet." The European Commission identifies digital platforms as gatekeepers if they play a critical role as intermediaries between businesses and consumers, providing core platform services such as Google's Chrome browser, Microsoft's Windows operating systems, Meta's WhatsApp, TikTok, Amazon's Marketplace, and Apple's App Store.
歐盟執行委員會強調了這些規定的重要性，委員會成員Thierry Breton表示：“《數位市場法案》為消費者提供了更多選擇，減少了小型競爭公司的障礙，打開了網路之門。” 歐盟執行委員會將數位平台定義為守門人，使它們在企業和消費者之間擔任關鍵中介角色，提供諸如谷歌的Chrome瀏覽器、微軟的Windows操作系統、Meta的WhatsApp、TikTok、亞馬遜的Marketplace和蘋果的App Store等核心平台服務。
Companies affected by these regulations have six months to comply with the Digital Markets Act's requirements, which will necessitate changes in how Big Tech firms operate. Google acknowledges that the new law will require various alterations to its products and services to adhere to the rules.
受到這些規定影響的公司有六個月的時間來達到《數位市場法案》的要求，這將會改變大型科技公司的運作。谷歌承認，將會需要對其產品和服務進行各種修改以符合新法案的規則。
One primary goal is to break the "closed environment" that locks users into a single platform. This will allow consumers more freedom to choose and switch between platforms, potentially leading to cost savings. For example, tech companies can no longer prevent consumers from connecting with businesses outside their platforms, potentially pressuring Apple to further open its App Store.
一個主要目標是打破將用戶局限在單一平台的“封閉環境”。這將允許消費者更自由地在不同平台之間進行選擇和切換，可能會使成本降低。例如，科技公司不能再阻止消費者與其平台之外的企業聯繫，這可能會對蘋果加壓，迫使其進一步開放App Store。
Under the Digital Markets Act, messaging services must collaborate, enabling users of different platforms like Telegram, Signal, and WhatsApp to exchange messages and files seamlessly. Furthermore, platforms are prohibited from favoring their products or services in search results, ensuring a level playing field.
根據《數位市場法案》，通訊服務必須合作，從而使不同平台的用戶（如Telegram、Signal和WhatsApp）能夠無縫交換消息和文件。此外，平台被禁止在搜索結果中優先展示自家產品或服務，確保了公平競爭。
Moreover, the act prevents online services from aggregating user data for targeted advertising without clear consent, which will impact companies like Meta. Essential software or apps cannot be installed by default with the operating system, promoting user choice in selecting browsers and search engines.
此外，該法案禁止在沒有明確同意的情況下，線上服務將用戶數據進行匯總以用於定向廣告，這將對Meta等公司產生影響。基本軟體或應用程序不能預設隨著系統一起安裝，從而促進了用戶在選擇瀏覽器和搜索引擎方面的自由。
Reference article: https://apnews.com/article/apple-google-amazon-microsoft-tiktok-meta-44850c92a3d9480cc067474490140d88