Vestager Believes New Smart Devices May Need EU Rules

Big tech’s smart devices may need European Union rules if antitrust probes can’t tackle “systemic” problems on how they may gather data and lock in users, EU digital chief Margrethe Vestager warned.

According to Bloomberg, regulators have concerns about the so-called internet of things after wrapping up a sweeping antitrust inquiry into voice assistants like Amazon.com Inc.’s Alexa and Apple Inc.’s Siri, she said at a speech in Prague on Monday. An EU report highlighted potential issues with how devices work together, how they gather data and how companies’ practices may keep users within their own product range.

“If we see that things are systemic, this is not enough to find it and fine it and punish it one place when it’s everywhere, then of course, we need to do more. We need to call upon regulation,” Vestager said.

EU antitrust probes of Meta Platforms Inc., formerly known as Facebook, and Alphabet Inc. unit Google are “quite advanced” Vestager also said. They are still at an earlier stage compared to other investigations into Apple and Amazon, she said.

The EU is currently in the final stages of discussing wide new rules to curb big tech power, that could also hit voice assistants.

“The goal of the Digital Markets Act is really simple: Keep markets open, contestable for every business out there. And the way to do it is to stop gatekeepers from misusing that enormous power,” she said.

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