Apple has been ordered by the European Commission to cease geo-blocking practices on its digital services, including the App Store, Apple Music, iTunes Store, Apple Arcade, Podcasts, and Books.
The European Commission announced on Tuesday that it had identified several potentially prohibited geo-blocking practices across Apple’s media services which involve restricting access to content based on a user’s location.
Margrethe Vestager, European Commissioner for Competition, emphasised the EU’s commitment to combating such practices, stating, “No company, big or small, should unjustly discriminate customers based on their nationality, place of residence, or place of establishment.”
The Commission has given Apple one month to address these concerns and propose commitments on how it intends to end the geo-blocking practices. If Apple fails to comply, national regulators across the EU could take enforcement actions.
This move is part of the EU’s broader efforts to ensure fairer digital markets and improve accessibility for consumers across different member states, furthering its stance on reducing digital discrimination.
Melissa Enoch
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