Europe is now coming after Apple, Google, Amazon and Samsung over smart TVs; plans to 'penalise' them for ...

Smart TVs and digital assistants may become Europe’s next ‘target’. The world's largest broadcasters have reportedly told EU antitrust chief Teresa Ribera that Google, Amazon, Apple and Samsung's smart TVs and virtual assistants should fall under the EU’s toughest tech rules due to their growing ‌market power. According to a report by the news agency Reuters, the Association of Commercial Television and Video on Demand Services in Europe (ACT) has suggested that smart TVs and virtual assistants should fall under the bloc’s toughest tech regulations, which could lead to new penalties under the Digital Markets Act.ACT’s members include Canal+, RTL, Mediaset, ITV, Paramount+, NBCUniversal, Walt Disney, Warner Bros Discovery, Sky and TF1 Groupe. The latest complaint highlights the tussle between broadcasters and Big Tech for control of a key segment of the entertainment market. To justify its demands, the association shared data from a 2025 market study that shows Android TV increased its market share from 16% to 23% between 2019 and 2024, while Amazon Fire OS rose from 5% to 12% in the same period, and Samsung’s Tizen OS holds around 24% market share. The broadcasters argued that these platforms should be designated as “gatekeepers” under the DMA, which has been in force since 2023 and is designed to curb the power of large technology companies, promote competition, and expand consumer choice.In its letter to EU antitrust Teresa Ribera (seen by Reuters), ACT wrote, “A limited number of operators are therefore gaining growing ability to shape outcomes for millions of users and businesses by controlling access to audiences and content distribution," marking a public push by broadcasters against major technology companies."It is crucial that the Commission designate major TV operating systems as gatekeepers and ensure adequate oversight to guarantee fairness and contestability," the broadcasters said. They added that large tech platforms may have incentives to keep users within their ecosystems and could restrict linking or redirection between media apps.The European Commission has confirmed to Reuters that it has received the letter and is reviewing the matter. However, Google, Amazon, Apple and Samsung did not immediately respond to requests for comment.Broadcasters also raised concerns about virtual assistants, including Amazon Alexa and Apple Siri, while noting that OpenAI entered the segment with a beta feature called Tasks for ChatGPT. The European Commission has not yet classified any virtual assistants as gatekeepers under the Digital Markets Act."The lack of designation of virtual assistants creates a regulatory void, allowing powerful AI assistants to become de facto gatekeepers for media content through mobile phones, smart speakers and in-car radio infotainment services, without being subject to DMA obligations," the broadcasters wrote in the letter.They urged Ribera to apply the DMA to smart TVs and virtual assistants based on qualitative criteria, even if they do not meet the quantitative threshold of more than 45 million monthly active users and €75 billion in market capitalisation, the Reuters report added.Other signatories to the letter include the Association of European Radios, European Broadcasting Union, egta, Confindustria Radio Televisioni, UTECA and Verband Österreichischer Privatsender.