EU Broadcasters Call for Tougher Tech Rules on Smart Devices and Virtual Assistants

Major broadcasters in Europe have urged the EU to classify smart TVs and virtual assistants as gatekeepers under the Digital Markets Act. This plea arises from growing concerns about the influence of tech giants such as Google, Amazon, Apple, and Samsung on content distribution and user access.

On Monday, some of Europe's largest broadcasters called on the EU's antitrust chief Teresa Ribera to place smart TVs and virtual assistants under the region's stringent tech regulations. The appeal was made by the Association of Commercial Television and Video on Demand Services in Europe (ACT), which includes major players like Canal+, RTL, and Disney.

Broadcasters are worried about Big Tech's increasing control over their industry. They argue that devices such as Android TV, Amazon Fire OS, and Samsung's Tizen OS should be designated as gatekeepers under the EU's Digital Markets Act (DMA) due to their significant market share. The DMA, in effect since 2023, aims to curb the powers of major tech companies to foster competition and enhance consumer choice.

Concerns also extend to virtual assistants like Alexa and Siri. Broadcasters say there's a regulatory gap since these AI assistants are not yet labeled as gatekeepers, potentially letting them dominate media content access through various devices without DMA oversight. They urge that even if smart TVs and virtual assistants don't meet DMA's quantitative thresholds, they should still be considered gatekeepers based on other criteria.