In March 2025, Meta rolled out its AI assistant in Europe, which is accessible through its WhatsApp Messenger and will soon be available on Instagram and Facebook Messenger, too. The feature grants users of its platforms access to a “reliable and intelligent assistant” via a “new blue circle icon” on the apps. Trans-Atlantic observers may…
Google’s ‘Be Evil’ transformation (if not merely a narrative) and the antitrust efforts to avenge it (if not exact revenge) are no longer novel. Most notably, following Judge Amit P. Mehta’s historic 2024 ruling from the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia against Google’s exclusive agreements, including ISA (Internet Services Agreement), MADAs (Mobile…
Fast and furious: that was the premise that would make the DMA’s enforcement effective. Overcompensating for past grievances in the application of Article 102 TFEU in the digital markets in terms of speed and remedies justifies the DMA’s need for having regulatory teeth. And teeth it has. On 22 April 2025, the European Commission (EC)…
On 14 April 2025, Meta confirmed that it will start training its AI with publicly available data from Europeans so its models “can understand the incredible and diverse nuances and complexities that make up European communities”. Regardless of the wider repercussions of such a move from the data protection perspective, since Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp and…
Brazil is on the verge of a significant regulatory shift, actively exploring the introduction of ex ante competition regulation designed to address potential harms from digital platforms before they become entrenched. Two initiatives have placed this debate at the forefront of the national policy agenda: Bill No. 2,768/2022 (the Bill) introduced to the Chamber of…
The DMA celebrates its second year of application. Since its existence, the regulation has brought changes to the digital space but also regulatory unpredictability in terms of legal standards and enforcement strategies. It’s, however, a time to reflect on the DMA’s achievements and there is nothing better to assess that than to look out for…
A regulatory dialogue entails at least two parties exchanging their views to reach a conclusion on a common topic. That’s what first comes to mind, at least. Well, the European Commission (EC)’s idea of such a dialogue differs greatly from that. Exhibit A: the EC’s publication of its preliminary findings on the two ongoing cases…
Introduction Big tech platforms possess characteristics that lead to entrenched structural power and a lack of competition. One notable feature is the existence of extreme economies of scale, arising from the minimal marginal costs associated with additional business users or end users. Furthermore, the services offered by these platforms exhibit strong network effects and an…
The UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has published a suite of guidance documents that set out how it intends to exercise its powers under the Digital Markets, Competition, and Consumers Act (Act). The Act, which entered into force on 1 January 2025, grants the CMA significant new powers and procedural flexibility. The CMA guidance…
Digital platforms behave as quasi-governments replacing regulators in their public duties of decision-making and rule-setting. To address this shift, legislators in different jurisdictions are adopting digital regulations across various fields, notably to curb digital market power or content moderation. The striking difference between these rules and those set out in the past lies in the…
