[throwaway0223]

It's interesting to see the number of folks apparently in favor of DMA and the strict regulatory environment in EU. Genuinely curious: what is the concrete benefit for users (and does it offset the negatives)? And does this foster a healthy and thriving environment for innovation?

In my liberal view it sounds awful for users and entrepreneurs alike. Wondering what are the arguments in favor (other than "apple/google = bad").

E.g.

Consider the DMA’s impact on Europe’s tourism industry. The DMA requires Google Search to stop showing useful travel results that link directly to airline and hotel sites, and instead show links to intermediary websites that charge for inclusion. This raises prices for consumers, reduces traffic to businesses, and makes it harder for people to quickly find reliable, direct booking information.

[pornel]

People in Europe don't have the automatic anti-regulation sentiment that US has. Regulations, at least from consumer perspective, seem to be working pretty well in the EU.

- My mobile operator wanted to charge me $6/MB for data roaming, until the anti-business EU regulation killed the golden goose. Roaming is free across EU. The mobile operator is still in business.

- USB-C not just on iPhone, but also all the crappy gadgets that used to be micro-USB. Consumer prices on electronics probably rose by $0.01 per unit.

- Chip & pin and NFC contactless payments were supported everywhere many years before ApplePay adopted them. European regulators forced banks to make fraud their problem and cooperate to fix it.

- The card payment system got upgraded despite card interchange fees being legally capped to ~0.3%. The bureaucrats killed an innovative business model of ever-increasing merchant fees given back to card owners as cashback, which made everyone else paying the same prices with cash the suckers subsidising the card businesses.

- Apple insinuates they only give 1 year of warranty, but it magically becomes 2 years if you remind them they're in the EU.

[bsjaux628]

> - Apple insinuates they only give 1 year of warranty, but it magically becomes 2 years if you remind them they're in the EU.

3 actually, if bought after 2021

[mzajc]

Just a day ago, we've had Google's idea of "useful results" frontpaged: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45366566. Between this, the malicious restrictions being added to Android, and countless other things, I'm genuinely surprised anyone still believes them to be acting in users' best interests.

[throwaway0223]

Just a day ago, we've had Google's idea of "useful results" frontpaged:

I'm not following. How does DMA help with this?

[Krssst]

I guess it won't but it shows they absolutely don't care about pertinence of search results anymore, so their argument that DMA will make for worse search results does not hold much value when they are already worsening their search results out of their own volition. (those are ads but they take the entire page and are easily confused for results, so as a standard-issue user the difference between ads and search results is vague. It would be improved by reverting to the previous UI of ads where they were shown quite differently)

[al_be_back]

> In my liberal view it sounds awful for users and entrepreneurs alike

curious to read what arguments you have against or in favor?

From what I understand, in European countries (inc EU) both public and private sector rely predominantly on US and Asian imports for Computer Hardware, Software and Digital Services.

With DMA, they're looking to level the playing fields for local entrepreneurs, and likewise for small firms from say, developing economies such as in Africa or Middle East for example (the neighborhood).

Also worth noting, that, Europe has a massive problem with brain-drain and a rapidly aging population. If local entrepreneurs can't compete with Asian or US tech giants, they have to move to Asia or the USA.

[MBCook]

In your quote, aren’t those the same thing? Isn’t Google just playing intermediary and integrating it onto their website and claiming that’s different?

[throwaway0223]

Correct, but in this case people went to Google to search for flights, so one may argue the user wants to see, well, flight information. Yet, despite Google knowing the answer, it cannot show to users, per DMA.

Instead, Google needs to send the user to a 3P website, which may or may not have the information the user is looking for. And the 3P website needs to monetize its traffic, so you should expect another wave of ads (in addition to the ones you already saw at google.com), plus cookie consent banners, affiliate links, offer for hotels, car rental, etc.

Is this a better experience for users?

[tapoxi]

Google does not want to show them flight information, it wants to make money. They happen to be showing flight information right now. Their interests do not align with yours.

The DMA ensures a healthy competitive market which keeps enshittification at bay by keeping "using a competing service" a viable threat.

[terminalshort]

Google Flights is the best and by far the least "enshitified" flight booking app. There is already a competitive market and I use Google because it's better.

[p_l]

It's already cut down compared to its pre-google interfaces though

[FranzFerdiNaN]

> Consider the DMA’s impact on Europe’s tourism industry. The DMA requires Google Search to stop showing useful travel results that link directly to airline and hotel sites, and instead show links to intermediary websites that charge for inclusion. This raises prices for consumers, reduces traffic to businesses, and makes it harder for people to quickly find reliable, direct booking information.

Lmao this is just such a big pile of nothing. Lets let Google and Apple run unchecked so consumers can see a link to a hotel. Yes. Good deal.

[a456463]

Private companies that are "good" can turn bad anytime. Look at "do no evil". Oh wait that was google.