ByteDance must keep gatekeeper label, EU court says in boost for regulators

TikTok owner ByteDance on Wednesday lost its court challenge against its designation as a gatekeeper under landmark European Union rules, in a boost for antitrust regulators seeking to curb the power of Big Tech.

Under the EU Digital Markets Act (DMA), gatekeepers are required to make their messaging apps interoperate with rivals, let users decide which apps to pre-install on their devices and are not allowed to favour their own services over rivals.

ByteDance had argued that its designation could undermine the DMA goal by protecting dominant companies from newer competitors such as TikTok, which does not have an entrenched position.

The Luxembourg-based General Court sided with the European Commission, the EU executive, and dismissed its challenge, saying that ByteDance had not sufficiently substantiated its arguments.