Politician · organisation

Thierry Breton on Google

Tech regulation enforcer (strong)

TL;DR

Thierry Breton forcefully advocates for strict enforcement of EU digital regulations against major platforms like Google.

Key Points

  • He held a video call with Google and YouTube CEOs in February 2022 to discuss tackling disinformation related to the war in Ukraine.

  • Google apologized to Thierry Breton in November 2020 after an internal plan surfaced to target him with advertising campaigns.

  • His office has been urged by industry groups to take action against Google Search, claiming it is not compliant with the Digital Markets Act (DMA) as of early 2024.

Summary

Thierry Breton, in his capacity as the European Commissioner for the Internal Market, has taken a firm stance regarding the regulation of large technology companies, particularly Google. His core position revolves around ensuring these dominant digital players comply with landmark European legislation, such as the Digital Markets Act (DMA) and the Digital Services Act (DSA). He has emphasized that compliance is not optional and that failure to adhere to these rules, which aim to ensure fair competition and user safety, will result in significant consequences, including fines.

This proactive regulatory stance has been evidenced by specific actions, including calls for video calls with tech CEOs concerning content moderation, particularly around global events like the conflict in Ukraine, and following incidents where Google reportedly targeted him in an advertising campaign. The Commissioner's focus is less on punishment and more on demanding systemic compliance to balance the digital ecosystem, signaling a high-stakes supervisory role over Big Tech's operations within the EU.

Key Quotes

"Following the terrorist acts carried out by Hamas against Israel, we are seeing a surge of illegal content and disinformation being disseminated in the EU via certain platforms,"

Frequently Asked Questions

Thierry Breton maintains a strong, supervisory stance toward Google, focusing on ensuring the company fully complies with stringent European Union digital legislation. He views compliance with acts like the DMA as non-negotiable for dominant platforms operating in the EU market.

Yes, Google issued an apology to Thierry Breton in late 2020 over a plan that had been made internally to target the Commissioner with advertising. This incident highlighted the tension between the regulator and the tech giant.

The Commissioner has actively engaged with Google regarding disinformation, notably holding a video call with the CEOs of Google and YouTube in February 2022 to discuss fake news surrounding the Ukraine conflict. He continues to oversee platforms' adherence to content moderation obligations.