EU has designated Booking as a “gatekeeper”, subjecting it to these strict regulations. The DMA is one of the most stringent regulations targeting large tech firms’ market dominance. It puts companies under tougher obligations to moderate content, allow fair competition, and make it easier for consumers to switch between services.
EU had previously identified Elon Musk’s X, TikTok owner ByteDance, and Booking.com as potential gatekeepers. While Booking has been confirmed as a gatekeeper, X has lodged a rebuttal against such a status. In response, the EU has opened a market investigation to further assess X’s regulatory status. ByteDance was labelled a gatekeeper in July last year, but TikTok has challenged that at Europe’s second-highest court.
Online advertising services X Ads and TikTok Ads did not qualify as gatekeepers, according to the EU. The designation of a company as a gatekeeper has significant implications as it subjects the company to tough tech rules.
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