Explained: Who are EU ‘gatekeepers’ under Digital Markets Act, and what does it mean for users

Soon, the EU’s Digital Market Act will impose new rules on tech companies with millions of users, including those behind search engines, social networking services, and operating systems.

Seven companies have confirmed they meet the requirements for gatekeepers – Alphabet (Google), Amazon, Apple, ByteDance (TikTok), Meta (Facebook, Instagram, Whatsapp), Microsoft, and Samsung.

Who are the gatekeepers

The Digital Markets Act (DMA) sets specific standards for identifying a major online platform as a “gatekeeper.” This ensures that the DMA addresses the issues related to large, systemic online platforms in a targeted manner. To qualify as a gatekeeper, a company must meet the following criteria: