Comment by sunaookami
15 days ago
When I wrote to the Commission regarding the Chrome Web Store monopoly and that Google can remove any addon that they don't like (which already happened) they told me that the Web Store isn't a gatekeeper (...of course it is, there is no other way to install Chrome Add-Ons and Chrome is designated as a gatekeeper):
>Thank you for your email in which you raise concerns that some browser extensions are not allowed by Alphabet in its Chrome Web Store or are removed as unwelcomed extensions after they have previously been available. As you may know, the European Commission has designated Alphabet as a gatekeeper for a number of its core platform services on 5 September 2023 under the Digital Markets Act (DMA), including its browser Chrome. As a result, Alphabet must comply with a set of obligations as from 7 March 2024. The Commission has not designated its online intermediation service Chrome Web Store, since it does not meet the criteria under Article 3 DMA, to be designated as a gatekeeper. We would like to thank you for the information brought to our attention and assure you that the Commission will monitor compliance of gatekeepers with the applicable obligations as well as monitor any other core platform service that may meet the criteria to be designated as a gatekeeper under Article 3 of the DMA.
So this doesn't surprise me at the slightest. DMA, DSA and GDPR only strengthen the big american companies because they have infinite money in complying with this bullshit while smaller plays get shafted. You will never be able to "just install an IPA" on an iPhone, mark my words.
The term "gatekeeper" is strictly defined in the DMA and currently doesn't cover the Chrome Web Store. Perhaps in the future it will. The DMA and DSA don't strengthen the big American companies; it rather specifically targets them. Smaller players can do whatever they want.
What the heck.