Foundem vs. Google: How one startup’s story shaped big tech regulations

Foundem vs. Google: How one startup's story shaped big tech regulations

For most startup founders, launch day is a nerve-wracking blend of excitement and worry. But for Shivaun Raff and her husband, Adam, that day in June 2006 turned into a nightmare they hadn't seen coming.

Their new venture, Foundem—a unique price comparison website they'd left stable careers to create—was finally live. But soon after launch, Foundem practically vanished from Google. Marked as spam by Google's algorithm, the site was buried deep in search results for terms like...

31 October 2024 | Artificial Intelligence

Microsoft faces new EU antitrust charges over Teams

Microsoft faces new EU antitrust charges over Teams app

The European Commission has accused Microsoft of illegally tying its chat and video app Teams with its popular Office package.

The recent antitrust complaint made by rival Slack (now owned by Salesforce) might result in a hefty fine for Microsoft if it is found guilty of these alleged antitrust breaches. The company faces a fine of 10% of its annual worldwide turnover.

The European Commission, the EU's competition watchdog, stated that Teams had been given an 'unfair...

26 June 2024 | Developer

Google: Third-party stores in Play Store would cost over $61M

In the wake of Epic Games' victory against Google last December, where a jury ruled that the Google Play app store and Google Play Billing constitute illegal monopolies, the tech giant has revealed the potential costs of implementing court-ordered changes to Android.

Google estimates that integrating third-party app stores within its Play Store would cost between $61.3 million and $137 million, according to documents submitted to the court. This comes in response to Judge James...

25 June 2024 | Android

Open letter criticises ‘flawed’ CSAM scanning plan

An open letter signed by 270 scientists and researchers across 33 countries has raised major technical concerns about the EU's proposed regulation mandating the scanning of messaging apps for child sexual abuse material (CSAM). The signees argue the techniques are fundamentally flawed and will "completely undermine communications and systems security."

"From a technical standpoint, to be effective, this new proposal will also completely undermine communications and systems...

3 May 2024 | Developer

EU classifies iPadOS as a ‘gatekeeper’ subject to DMA rules

The European Commission has classified Apple's iPadOS as a “gatekeeper" under the EU's new tech competition rules, subjecting it to strict requirements aimed at promoting fairness and expanding consumer choice.

"The Digital Markets Act is a dynamic tool which allows us to tackle the realities of digital markets," said Margrethe Vestager, the EU's competition chief

In a press release on Monday, the Commission stated that its investigation found Apple "presents the...

29 April 2024 | App Stores

Apple enables web distribution for iOS developers targeting EU users

Apple has announced that iOS app developers targeting EU users are now able to directly offer downloads from their own websites. This shift comes as a response to the EU's new Digital Markets Act (DMA), requiring major tech platforms to open up their ecosystems and ensure a more competitive market.

Historically, Apple has maintained a notorious "walled garden" for its iOS ecosystem, with the App Store being the sole gateway for downloading apps on iPhone devices. However, the new...

17 April 2024 | Developer

Apple is killing web apps in the EU

Apple is ending support for progressive web apps (PWAs) for iPhone users within the EU, stirring concern among developers and users alike. This decision comes as a definitive blow to the accessibility and functionality of web-based applications on Apple devices.

The move to discontinue web app support has been apparent in each iteration of the iOS 17.4 beta, with users experiencing persistent issues. However, Apple has now clarified that this is deliberate.

In an update...

16 February 2024 | iOS

European iOS developers can begin testing alternative app stores 

Apple this week began implementing its controversial plans to comply with the EU’s Digital Markets Act (DMA), allowing developers to now submit alternative app stores and external apps via App Store Connect.

This development comes amid Apple's efforts to meet the DMA requirements by March 2024. With the deadline looming, Apple is taking proactive steps to enable developers to test their apps and marketplaces ahead of time.

In an update on its developer website, Apple...

9 February 2024 | API

Russia claims Apple has paid $13.4M antitrust fine

Russia's Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS) claims that Apple has paid a $13.4 million fine relating to anti-competitive practices.

According to Russian news agency TASS, the fine – originally levied at 1.2 billion rubles (then worth $17.4 million) in September 2022 – was confirmed as received by Russian authorities.

"On January 19, 2024, Apple paid the fine. The money was received by the government of the Russian Federation," said the FAS.

The fine stems...

23 January 2024 | App Stores

Open source wins concessions in new EU cyber law

The European Cyber Resilience Act (CRA) has undergone substantial revisions, bringing relief to the open-source community.

Back in April, the Python Software Foundation (PSF) had expressed concerns about potential repercussions for CPython and PyPI if the initial form of CRA were to be enacted.

The primary worry was that, in the course of providing open-source software, the PSF and the Python community might assume legal responsibility for security issues in products...

15 January 2024 | Open Source