EU tells Apple to end geo-blocking on services such as App Store
No company should discriminate against customers based on nationality, or place of residence or of establishment, says Margrethe Vestager
12 November 2024 - 16:33
by Sudip Kar-Gupta
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Apple was told by the EU on Tuesday to stop geo-blocking on services such as its App Store, Apple Arcade, Music, iTunes Store, Books and Podcasts. Picture: LUCAS JACKSON/REUTERS
Brussels — Apple was told by the EU on Tuesday to stop geo-blocking, the practice of restricting content according to a user’s geographical location, on services such as its App Store, Apple Arcade, Music, iTunes Store, Books and Podcasts.
The European Commission said it had identified several potentially prohibited geo-blocking practices on some Apple Media Services and threatened enforcement measures by national regulators if Apple failed to address its concerns.
“We are stepping up the fight against geo-blocking. No company, big or small, should unjustly discriminate [against] customers based on their nationality, place of residence or of establishment,” said European commissioner Margrethe Vestager.
The EU said Apple had one month to propose commitments on how it would address the geo-blocking it had identified.
Support our award-winning journalism. The Premium package (digital only) is R30 for the first month and thereafter you pay R129 p/m now ad-free for all subscribers.
EU tells Apple to end geo-blocking on services such as App Store
No company should discriminate against customers based on nationality, or place of residence or of establishment, says Margrethe Vestager
Brussels — Apple was told by the EU on Tuesday to stop geo-blocking, the practice of restricting content according to a user’s geographical location, on services such as its App Store, Apple Arcade, Music, iTunes Store, Books and Podcasts.
The European Commission said it had identified several potentially prohibited geo-blocking practices on some Apple Media Services and threatened enforcement measures by national regulators if Apple failed to address its concerns.
“We are stepping up the fight against geo-blocking. No company, big or small, should unjustly discriminate [against] customers based on their nationality, place of residence or of establishment,” said European commissioner Margrethe Vestager.
The EU said Apple had one month to propose commitments on how it would address the geo-blocking it had identified.
Reuters
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