Policy hub · Updated weekly
Regulation and the Big Platforms
The laws that decide what your apps can do, sorted by region, with a one-line consequence for each.
Why Policy Belongs in a Tech Roundup
Regulation used to trail technology by a decade. Not any more. Choice screens on Android, alternative app stores on iPhones in the EU, cookie banners and age checks are all products of law. Following policy news explains why the apps on your phone suddenly behave differently in one country than in another.
We cover the rules with the widest reach: the EU, the UK and the US. We report what the law says and what regulators have done, not what lobbyists predict.
European Union
AI Act (Regulation (EU) 2024/1689)
In force since 1 August 2024. Bans some practices, sets duties for high-risk systems and general-purpose models. Key dates: 2 February 2025, 2 August 2025 and, for many remaining rules, 2 August 2026, subject to proposed adjustments.
Digital Markets Act
Targets "gatekeepers": Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, ByteDance, Meta and Microsoft were designated in September 2023, Booking in May 2024. Fines can reach 10% of global turnover.
Digital Services Act
Fully applicable since 17 February 2024. Very large platforms must assess systemic risks, explain recommendation systems and give researchers data access.
General Data Protection Regulation
Applicable since 25 May 2018. Still the basis for most privacy enforcement, including large fines by Ireland's Data Protection Commission.
Why it mattersEU rules often become global defaults because companies prefer one version of a product.
United Kingdom
The Online Safety Act 2023 gives Ofcom powers over services that host user content or offer search. Duties on illegal content took effect in March 2025, and child-safety duties, including "highly effective" age assurance for pornography and other harmful content, followed in July 2025.
The Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 lets the Competition and Markets Authority designate firms with "strategic market status" and set conduct requirements. The UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018, overseen by the Information Commissioner's Office, cover privacy, and the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 updated parts of that framework.
Why it mattersExpect more age checks on UK platforms and targeted rules for the biggest app and search providers.
United States
The US has no single federal privacy law. Instead, states lead: California's Consumer Privacy Act, strengthened by the CPRA and enforced in part by the California Privacy Protection Agency, is the best known, with Colorado, Virginia, Texas and others following. The Federal Trade Commission uses its consumer-protection powers against deceptive data practices.
On competition, the Department of Justice won its search case against Google in August 2024, when a federal judge found Google had unlawfully maintained a monopoly; remedies were decided in 2025. The FTC's case against Meta over Instagram and WhatsApp went to trial in 2025.
Why it mattersUS rules differ by state, so your privacy rights depend on where you live.
What It Means for You
- In the EU, look for choice screens and use them; defaults are where platforms win.
- Use your access and deletion rights under GDPR or state law; companies must answer.
- Expect age assurance prompts on UK services, and check which provider handles your data.
- Businesses using AI should list their systems and their risk category before August 2026.