Thierry Breton: Under DMA, there is no room for threats by gatekeepers

Original Article ↗ Hacker News Discussion ↗

Framing: EU vs US and “Trade War” Narrative

  • Several comments reject framing this as EU vs US or a “trade war.”
  • Emphasis that DMA targets a tiny set of dominant “gatekeeper” firms, regardless of nationality.
  • Some argue Americans should welcome EU antitrust enforcement because it may indirectly benefit US consumers too.
  • A minority see it as bureaucratic overreach and as foreign governments targeting US corporate profits.

Apple, Epic, and Gatekeeper Power

  • Many view Apple’s move against Epic as a textbook example of abusive gatekeeping: using platform control to punish a legal challenger.
  • Even Apple-friendly users describe Apple’s latest actions as an “own goal” that makes them look petty and emotional.
  • Others sympathize with Apple, calling Epic a bad-faith actor, but still think Apple mishandled this under the new regime.
  • Strong view from some that the core issue is power balance between consumers, corporations, and governments—not Apple vs Epic personalities.

DMA Enforcement and Fines

  • DMA allows fines up to 10% of global revenue per year of non-compliance, potentially around $38B for Apple; up to 20% for repeat offenses.
  • Several commenters say only very large, exemplary fines will stop “malicious compliance” and make gatekeepers truly change behavior.
  • Others are wary of the idea that the EU can fine based on global, not EU-only, revenue.

ToS, Interoperability, and Legal Mechanics

  • A long subthread explores whether DMA can effectively force companies to do business with each other.
  • Key points pulled from DMA text:
    • Gatekeepers must allow effective, free interoperability with OS and hardware features for third parties.
    • They may take “strictly necessary and proportionate” measures to protect system integrity.
    • They must offer “fair, reasonable, and non-discriminatory” access conditions to app stores and similar services.
  • Conclusion in the thread: Terms of service are allowed, but cannot override DMA or be used to block lawful competitors.

Larger Ideological Debate

  • Extended side debate on capitalism, antitrust, monopolies, and “enshittification.”
  • Some argue robust antitrust is a prerequisite for capitalism to work; others criticize state overreach.
  • There’s discussion of corporatism vs capitalism, public vs private power, and the role of empirical evidence vs ideological talking points.