LUXEMBOURG, May 12 (Reuters) – Bytedance’s social media platform TikTok on Tuesday made a last- ditch attempt at Europe’s top court to scrap its designation as a “gatekeeper” under EU rules, which require it to meet tougher standards as regulators seek to curb the power of Big Tech.
The case–the first EU Digital Markets Act “gatekeeper” challenge heard by the EU Court of Justice–could bolster or weaken Europe’s attempt to rein in Big Tech to ensure competition and more choice for users.
TikTok was designated a “gatekeeper” under DMA in September 2023, joining other companies with more than 45 million monthly users. These included Alphabet’s Google, Meta Platforms, Apple, Amazon, Microsoft and Booking.com.
A lower court tribunal had in 2024 thrown out TikTok’s challenge, saying it met DMA criteria for the gatekeeper designation.
The DMA sets out an onerous list of requirements aimed at curbing the power of Big Tech, with infringement fines as high as 10% of a company’s annual turnover.