Large digital companies could be fined up to 10% of their annual UK turnover, according to a bill introduced Tuesday April 25 by the British government to protect competition and fight online scams. .
The text, which must now be examined by British parliamentarians, attacks “false opinions, subscriptions that trap” consumers and which are difficult to get rid of and plans to grant “new powers” to the British competition police (CMA), summarizes the executive in a press release.
Increase in fines
The CMA will be able to “apply consumer law directly rather than go through lengthy legal procedures”, particularly in cases where “businesses agree to increase prices at the expense of British consumers”.
The fines will increase: they can reach “10% of global turnover in case of breach of consumer law,” warns the British government.
The new rules will also make it easier for the CMA to “take action against mergers [d’entreprises] that harm UK consumers and businesses,” the regulator said in a separate statement.
The new powers of the CMA will focus in particular on companies with “strategic market status” with a worldwide turnover of more than 25 billion pounds (more than 28 billion euros) or more than one billion pounds in the UK alone. United Kingdom.
The main GAFAM affected
The large technological multinationals, in particular Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Google, Amazon, Apple or even Microsoft, will therefore be concerned.
Microsoft told AFP that the company “will examine the content of the bill” and plans to “dialogue” with parliamentarians during the examination of the text. Meta said he does not wish to comment at this time. Contacted by AFP, the UK branches of Google, Amazon and Apple did not immediately respond.
Another bill on online security (the “Online Security Bill”) is currently being discussed in the British Parliament. In particular, you must protect Internet users, including children, from exposure to pornography or cyberbullying.
In the European Union, regulations will begin on digital markets (“Digital Markets Law”), which addresses anti-competitive practices by tech giants, and on digital services (“Digital Services Law”), which aims to stop disinformation and hate content. to apply this year.
Source: BFM TV
