While India is reforming its digital laws, big social media platforms are facing challenging times across the globe. Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, Meta and Microsoft are fighting legal battles and facing investigations in Europe and North America. These efforts are being made by the regulatory bodies against the methods that promote monopoly in the digital environment.

In other countries of the world, big tech companies are being encouraged to adopt fair methods. At the same time, the Indian government is taking initiatives for ways to democratize the country's vast Internet market. India's online space is currently dominated by Google, Facebook, WhatsApp, Amazon, Apple and Microsoft. The country is now preparing to bring its much-awaited Digital India Act. The efforts, led by Minister of State for Information Technology Rajeev Chandrasekhar, are aimed at motivating tech companies to give up their tendency to monopolize India's digital market.

When anti-monopoly steps were being taken in western countries, a historic development took place in India last year. In October, the Competition Commission of India imposed a fine of Rs 1,338 crore on Google for monopolistic use of the Android operating system. It is believed that after this, anti-monopoly efforts in other countries gained momentum.

Probe against alphabet
Alphabet is struggling on at least five fronts right now. There are five major cases pending against him, which are likely to make headlines in the coming months. Digital platforms such as Google, YouTube and Android OS operating under Alphabet are widely used. Two cases are pending against Alphabet in Germany's Federal Cartel Office. One of these cases is related to Google Map.

There are two ongoing investigations against Alphabet in the US. A case is ongoing with the Texas State Attorney, where the company is accused of taking biometric data without authorization. The second case is in the US Department of Justice, where it is being investigated whether the company abused its monopoly to sideline competitors in digital advertising. Mexico is also under investigation under anti-competitive allegations.

Two lawsuits on amazon
Lawsuits are going on in the US and UK on Amazon. The Competition and Markets Authority in the UK has filed a lawsuit, which could result in a fine of up to a billion pounds if found guilty. Amazon has been accused of using secret algorithms to dominate the UK online market. In the US too, an investigation is going on in the Securities and Regulatory Commission in the case of third-party data against Amazon.

Three cases against Apple
Apple is being sued in the UK, EU and Brazil. Apple is accused of dominating mobile app stores as part of an ongoing investigation by Brazil's regulatory body. In Britain too, Apple is accused of establishing supremacy through its mobile browser Safari. The European Commission is investigating Apple in two separate cases. One case concerned allegations of blocking out competitors in phone-based payment technology. The second case relates to a complaint by Swedish audio streaming platform Spotify, alleging monopoly.

The US Federal Trade Commission is hearing a case against Facebook. In this, Meta is accused of having acquired virtual reality startup 'Within' in anti-competitive behavior. The case that Microsoft is facing in the European Union is related to the messaging app Slack.

Emphasis on concerted efforts
In the US, the head of the Federal Trade Commission, Lina Khan, and in the European Union, Competition Commissioner Margaret Vestager, are hearing cases against big tech companies. Ravneet Kaur is the head of the Competition Commission of India. In a recent interaction with a media group, he stressed on concerted efforts in the global fight to democratize the internet.

Spokesperson of Digital News Publishers Association (DNPA), organization of digital units of leading news publishers of the country, has welcomed Ravneet Kaur's appeal to coordinate at the international level. The spokesperson said that while India is taking steps in the right direction to protect the rights of Internet users and all stakeholders in the digital landscape, efforts in collaboration with regulators in other countries can prove to be more effective.

(pc amarujala)