The UK has passed its own version of the Digital Markets Act, a law intended to promote competition in digital markets. This is a significant development, as it could have a major impact on tech giants like Google, Apple, and Meta.

The new law will give the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) the power to designate companies with “strategic market power.” These companies will then be subject to a code of conduct set by the CMA. This code of conduct could include requirements for the companies to be more transparent about their pricing and to give users more choice over how their data is used.

The law could also have a major impact on in-app purchases and subscriptions. For example, it could force companies to allow users to pay for subscriptions with different payment methods, such as through a debit card instead of being forced to use the company’s own in-app payment system.

The UK’s Digital Markets Act is a welcome development for consumers. It has the potential to make tech companies more accountable and to give users more choice. It will be interesting to see how the CMA implements the new law and how tech companies respond.

Epic Games, the maker of the popular video game Fortnite, has already announced that it will bring its game and store back to iOS devices in the UK as a result of the new law. Epic Games had been locked in a legal battle with Apple over in-app purchases, and Apple had removed Fortnite from the App Store. The new law could force Apple to change its policies on in-app purchases, which could benefit both developers and consumers.

The UK’s Digital Markets Act is a significant step towards regulating tech companies. It remains to be seen how effective the law will be, but it is a positive development for competition and consumer choice.