Tech Titans X, ByteDance, Booking.com Face Potential EU Crackdown

The EU is evaluating whether three major tech companies - Elon Musk's X, TikTok owner ByteDance, and Booking.com - qualify as "gatekeepers" under new regulations. These rules aim to increase competition and user control in the digital market.

To be designated a gatekeeper, a company must have over 45 million monthly active users and a market value exceeding €75 billion. If classified as such, these companies would face stricter regulations, including allowing competing platforms to access their messaging services and letting users choose pre-installed apps on their devices. They would also be prohibited from favoring their own services over competitors and restricting users from removing unwanted apps.

The EU has 45 days to decide on the gatekeeper status of these companies after receiving their notifications. This decision could significantly impact the operations of X, ByteDance, and Booking.com within the European market.

It's worth noting that ByteDance already faced a similar designation last year, but TikTok challenged it in court. Additionally, Booking.com anticipated falling under these regulations due to its user growth. This decision comes after similar designations were given to tech giants like Google, Amazon, Apple, Meta, and Microsoft in 2023.