The European Union is escalating its campaign against Big Tech with a new set of legally binding orders targeting Google’s search business and its Android mobile platform. The European Commission announced the so-called “specification measures” under the Digital Markets Act (DMA), requiring Google to open up key parts of its ecosystem to competitors. The decision follows months of deliberation and marks one of the most significant interventions yet under the EU’s flagship antitrust law.

The DMA, which came into force in 2024, gives the Commission power to designate large online platforms as “gatekeepers” and impose stricter obligations on them. Companies such as Apple, Meta, and Google have already faced steep fines and orders to modify their business practices. The new specification measures are the latest development, and they are legally binding. In its announcement, the Commission said the measures are designed to promote competition and give users more choices, but Google claims they will undermine privacy and security.

Since the DMA came into force, the Commission has opened several investigations into major tech platforms. The new specification measures are part of a broader enforcement push. The law allows the Commission to specify exactly what obligations like data sharing and interoperability mean for each gatekeeper. These specifications are legally binding, and failure to comply can result in severe financial penalties. The Commission has already used its powers to make changes to how Apple operates in Europe, including opening up its app ecosystem and payment systems.

Google has a long history of antitrust battles with the EU. Over the past decade, the Commission has levied billions of euros in fines against the company for practices related to its shopping service, Android licensing, and online advertising. Those cases were built on traditional competition law, while the DMA represents a new, more proactive approach. The latest decisions are different because they do not require a finding of past harm; they impose forward-looking obligations on gatekeepers to ensure markets remain contestable.

Android AI Assistants: More Room for Rivals

One part of the decision focuses on Android phones and the way AI assistants are integrated into the operating system. Currently, Google’s Gemini AI assistant gets privileged access to Android. Gemini is preloaded on all Google-certified Android phones and can wake up using the “Hey Google” hot word. The assistant also has access to system and app automation features, screen content, and other deeper functions that third-party assistants cannot use.

This arrangement, according to the European Commission, limits competition. “Third-party AI assistants are therefore limited in how they can offer their innovative services, making them less attractive to 60% of EU users who have an Android device,” the Commission said in its press release. Under the new measures, Google must allow competing AI assistants to integrate with Android more deeply, so that users can choose a different assistant without losing core features.

Whether mobile AI is truly innovative is up for debate, but EU regulators argue that users should be able to install an AI system of their choice without having to sacrifice functionality. The Commission says the measures have been designed to preserve user privacy and device integrity. However, generative AI relies heavily on data, and installing any such assistant on a phone means giving that provider access to a wide range of sensitive information. Google has been a familiar presence in that environment, but rivals will now have the possibility to compete on a more even playing field.

Search Data Sharing: Opening Google’s Vault

The EU’s mandates for Google Search could have even wider implications. The Commission is forcing Google to share search data with competing search providers, giving them a better chance of gaining market share and loosening Google’s grip on web search. The Commission alleges this action was necessary because Google’s past offers to share data have not gone far enough.

Under the new rules, Google will have to provide data to other search firms transparently and for a reasonable fee. Google will also have to treat AI chatbots as search services for the purposes of data sharing. The goal is for other companies to obtain search metrics similar to what Google sees itself, which EU regulators claim is essential for smaller players to challenge Google’s dominance in search.

Search data includes information about how users interact with search results, queries, and other aggregated metrics. Rival search engines say this data is critical for improving their algorithms and competing effectively. Without it, they argue, Google has an insurmountable advantage. The Commission’s decision aims to level the playing field, but Google contends that handing over such data could expose sensitive business information and harm users.

Google Calls for “Balance”

Google was vocally opposed to the EU’s new rules before they were finalized, and the company is not mincing words now that they are final. Kent Walker, Google’s president of global affairs, claims Google offered more measured solutions that it believed could satisfy the DMA’s goals, but the path chosen by the European Commission goes too far and will harm users. “Today’s decisions risk undermining vital privacy and security guardrails for millions of Europeans,” said Walker.

Walker specifically objects to the Commission’s position on AI assistants. He argues that AI tools are widely supported, with phone makers playing a key role in vetting them before they are allowed on devices. Granting non-Gemini AI platforms deeper integration with Android could circumvent those safeguards, he said. The company is also concerned that giving third-party assistants access to screen content and automation features could create new attack vectors for malicious actors.

Similarly, Google contends that sharing search data as the EU now demands will risk user privacy. The DMA action calls on Google to anonymize data using a multilayered approach, and the Commission is open to amending its decision to ensure identifiable data is appropriately handled. Google acknowledges that regulators are open to adjusting the rules, but Walker still characterizes this ruling as a threat to privacy, business trade secrets, and even national security.

Timeline and Implementation

Google will have some time to hash out the specifics with EU regulators. The company must be ready to start sharing search data with other companies in January 2027. The Android platform must be updated for deeper integration with AI apps by July 2027. These deadlines give Google time to design compliant systems, but the company is expected to pursue every avenue of opposition, including possible legal challenges in the Court of Justice of the European Union.

The Commission has indicated that it will monitor Google’s compliance closely. If the company fails to meet the requirements, it could face significant fines. Under the DMA, fines for non-compliance can reach up to 10% of a company’s global annual revenue, or even 20% for repeat violations.

Source: Ars Technica News