London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Saturday, Sep 13, 2025

China’s tech firms wait for new rules as EU prepares Digital Services Act

China’s tech firms wait for new rules as EU prepares Digital Services Act

Under expected changes platforms such as Facebook, Amazon and TikTok must tackle illegal content and misinformation if operating in the EU domain.

Chinese tech giants, including the video sharing app TikTok, are likely to be subject to the European Union’s new proposal that seeks to rein in US social media, e-commerce and advertising platforms, with potential fines of up to 10 per cent of their annual turnover for breaches.

The future of Chinese tech firms– alongside their more popular American counterparts such as Facebook, Google, Amazon and Apple– in Europe is shrouded in uncertainty as the EU prepares to unveil its Digital Services Act.

Digital policies form a big part of the EU’s quest for strategic autonomy as it looks to counter US firms’ disregard for privacy and the fuelling of disinformation, as well as Chinese companies’ alleged acquiescence to illiberal government practices.


Under the EU’s new digital framework, according to an EU source, “greater platforms should have greater responsibilities”. It categorises online platforms with more than 45 million EU users – a tenth of the EU population – as “very large”, subjecting them to extra due diligence hurdles and empowering the EU to undertake intrusive investigative work.

TikTok boasts 100 million European users. Huawei Technologies Co– which is developing its own app store – has 33 million active users in Europe per month, which means it still falls short of the “very large” category, according to state media.

“The new rule will be forward looking for at least a decade. Tomorrow’s biggest platforms may be European, may be Indian, may be Chinese – so we need to be prepared for all scenarios,” the EU source added.

The dominant platforms would bear “a higher standard of transparency and accountability” on how they “moderate content, on advertising and on algorithmic processes”, a senior EU official said. The EU will also impose obligations on firms to manage the risk of manipulative techniques.


Platforms will be required to do more to tackle illegal content on their platforms, misuse of their platforms that infringe on others’ fundamental rights and the intentional manipulation of platforms to influence elections and public health, among other conditions.

The companies will also have to show details of political advertising on their platforms and the parameters used by their algorithms to suggest and rank information.

The rules are the most serious attempt by the 27-country bloc to rein in the power of the US tech giants that control troves of data and online platforms on which thousands of companies and millions of Europeans rely.

They also reflect the European Commission’s frustration with its antitrust cases against the tech giants, notably Google, which critics say did not address the problem.


The EU’s main priority was seen to be American tech giants, but its attention might also shift to Chinese firms if they became popular in Europe, another source said.

A company that “systemically infringes” on the obligations could face orders by the European Commission to make behavioural and structural changes, such as divesting businesses, Bloomberg reported.

It reported that firms would be deemed in systematic non-compliance if issued at least three fines by the EU within five years.

The draft rules may still be subject to revision.

Once the commission formally proposes the new rules, it could still take months, if not years, before they become law. It requires the sign-off from the bloc’s other lawmaking institutions, including the European Parliament and the Council of European member states.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
French Debt Downgrade Piles Pressure on Macron’s New Prime Minister
US and UK Near Tech, Nuclear and Whisky Deals Ahead of Trump Trip
One in Three Europeans Now Uses TikTok, According to the Chinese Tech Giant
Could AI Nursing Robots Help Healthcare Staffing Shortages?
NATO Deploys ‘Eastern Sentry’ After Russian Drones Violate Polish Airspace
Anesthesiologist Left Operation Mid-Surgery to Have Sex with Nurse
Tens of Thousands of Young Chinese Get Up Every Morning and Go to Work Where They Do Nothing
The New Life of Novak Djokovic
The German Owner of Politico Mathias Döpfner Eyes Further U.S. Media Expansion After Axel Springer Restructuring
Suspect Arrested: Utah Man in Custody for Charlie Kirk’s Fatal Shooting
In a politically motivated trial: Bolsonaro Sentenced to 27 Years for Plotting Coup After 2022 Defeat
German police raid AfD lawmaker’s offices in inquiry over Chinese payments
Turkish authorities seize leading broadcaster amid fraud and tax investigation
Volkswagen launches aggressive strategy to fend off Chinese challenge in Europe’s EV market
ChatGPT CEO signals policy to alert authorities over suicidal youth after teen’s death
The British legal mafia hit back: Banksy mural of judge beating protester is scrubbed from London court
Surpassing Musk: Larry Ellison becomes the richest man in the world
Embarrassment for Starmer: He fired the ambassador photographed on Epstein’s 'pedophile island'
Manhunt after 'skilled sniper' shot Charlie Kirk. Footage: Suspect running on rooftop during panic
Effective Protest Results: Nepal’s Prime Minister Resigns as Youth-Led Unrest Shakes the Nation
Qatari prime minister says Netanyahu ‘killed any hope’ for Israeli hostages
King Charles and Prince Harry Share First In-Person Moment in 19 Months
Starmer Establishes Economic ‘Budget Board’ to Centralise Policy and Rebuild Business Trust
France Erupts in Mass ‘Block Everything’ Protests on New PM’s First Day
Poland Shoots Down Russian Drones in Airspace Violation During Ukraine Attack
Brazilian police say ex-President Bolsonaro had planned to flee to Argentina seeking asylum
Trinidad Leader Applauds U.S. Naval Strike and Advocates Forceful Action Against Traffickers
Kim Jong Un Oversees Final Test of New High-Thrust Solid-Fuel Rocket Engine
Apple Introduces Ultra-Thin iPhone Air, Enhanced 17 Series and New Health-Focused Wearables
Macron Appoints Sébastien Lecornu as Prime Minister Amid Budget Crisis and Political Turmoil
Supreme Court temporarily allows Trump to pause billions in foreign aid
Charlie Sheen says his father, Martin Sheen, turned him in to the police: 'The greatest betrayal possible'
Vatican hosts first Catholic LGBTQ pilgrimage
Apple Unveils iPhone 17 Series, iPhone Air, Apple Watch 11 and More at 'Awe Dropping' Event
Pig Heads Left Outside Multiple Paris Mosques in Outrage-Inducing Acts
Nvidia’s ‘Wow’ Factor Is Fading. The AI chip giant used to beat Wall Street expectations for earnings by a substantial margin. That trajectory is coming down to earth.
France joins Eurozone’s ‘periphery’ as turmoil deepens, say investors
On the Anniversary of Queen Elizabeth’s Death: Prince Harry Returns to Britain
France Faces New Political Crisis, again, as Prime Minister Bayrou Pushed Out
Murdoch Family Finalises $3.3 Billion Succession Pact, Ensuring Eldest Son’s Leadership
Big Oil Slashes Jobs and Investments Amid Prolonged Low Crude Prices
Court Staff Cover Up Banksy Image of Judge Beating a Protester
Social Media Access Curtailed in Turkey After CHP Calls for Rallies Following Police Blockade of Istanbul Headquarters
Nayib Bukele Points Out Belgian Hypocrisy as Brussels Considers Sending Army into the Streets
Elon Musk Poised to Become First Trillionaire Under Ambitious Tesla Pay Plan
France, at an Impasse, Heads Toward Another Government Collapse
Burning the Minister’s House Helped Protesters to Win Justice: Prabowo Fires Finance Minister in Wake of Indonesia Protests
Brazil Braces for Fallout from Bolsonaro Trial by corrupted judge
The Country That Got Too Rich? Public Spending Dominates Norway Election
Nearly 40 Years Later: Nike Changes the Legendary Slogan Just Do It
×