EU unfair practices rules put spotlight on Google, Amazon, Facebook
Once rules are implemented, tech companies will have to tell companies how their products rank on platforms
Strasbourg — Google and Amazon will have to tell companies how they rank products on their platforms, while Facebook and other tech firms will have to be more transparent about their terms and conditions under new EU rules approved on Wednesday. The platform-to-business (P2B) law, proposed by the European Commission in April 2018, is the latest move by Europe to rein in online giants and ensure they treat smaller rivals and users fairly. The European Parliament gave the green light to the new laws on Wednesday, which will have to be rubber-stamped by the European Council in the coming months before they take effect. Negotiators from all three bodies reached a political deal in February. The new rules, which will cover 7,000 online companies, target e-commerce market places, app stores, social media and price comparison tools. Google’s three products Play, Shopping and Search, Apple’s App Store, Microsoft’s Store and Bing, Amazon Marketplace, eBay, Fnac Marketplace, Facebook’s Instag...
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