The EBU has come together with the European Digital Radio Alliance (EDRA) and the Association of European Radios (AER) to ask policymakers to urgently intervene to prevent anti-competitive activities by digital voice assistant platforms that hold a gatekeeper position on the market. A letter co-signed by the leadership of the three organizations says that policymakers should ensure that the proposed Digital Markets Act (DMA) regulation also applies to voice assistants by including a clear reference to these services in the text. 

With the adoption of voice assistants in the home, the car, on smartphones and tablets, access to audio and radio content is becoming increasingly intermediated by voice assistant providers, which impacts content transmission and users’ freedom of choice. A limited number of platform gatekeepers enjoy significant market power and can use this power to engage in anti-competitive practices such as self-preferencing, restricting access to data, using data from third party services to develop their own services, and inserting publicity without permission.

Our letter urges co-legislators to update the DMA to protect the radio and audio industry, not just for economic reasons, but because of the widespread societal benefits – the most trusted news source (as demonstrated during the COVID crisis), connecting people to their communities, and providing companionship.

You can download the letter on the right.