Big tech giants like Microsoft, WhatsApp or Amazon have threatened to leave Great Britain after regulations were announced in that country, which are a "tipping point" for these companies to leave.
The British regulations, which were designed very quickly, and should soon come into force, are something that the big technology companies resent. Great Britain wants to adopt the Internet Security Act, which would prescribe work rules and high fines for companies in case of violations, and the Digital Market Act.
Given that the power would be in the regulator that oversees competition in Great Britain, technology companies believe that this is too much freedom for one body and that their business is thus threatened.
The Law on Internet Security, whose adoption was announced in the fall, prescribes strict rules regarding the monitoring of content on social networks with the aim of protecting children. Violations are subject to high financial fines, as well as prison terms for individual technical managers, if companies do not comply with the rules.
One clause that has proved particularly controversial is the proposal that encrypted messages, which include those sent on WhatsApp, can be read and handed over to law enforcement via the platforms they are sent on, if there is deemed to be a threat to national security or to protect children from risk.
The children's charity described encrypted messaging apps as the "front line" where images of child abuse are shared, but it is also seen as a key security tool for campaigners, journalists and politicians.
WhatsApp, Proton and Signal have threatened to leave the UK market precisely because of this requirement from the new law.
The Digital Markets Bill is also making its way through parliament. It is proposed that the UK's competition regulator single out big companies such as Amazon and Microsoft, give them rules to follow and fines if they don't.
Microsoft reacted strongly when the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) decided to block the purchase of video game giant Activision Blizzard.
"There is a clear message here - the European Union is a more attractive place to start a business than the UK," raged chief executive Brad Smith.
The British regulations, which were designed very quickly, and should soon come into force, are something that the big technology companies resent. Great Britain wants to adopt the Internet Security Act, which would prescribe work rules and high fines for companies in case of violations, and the Digital Market Act.
Given that the power would be in the regulator that oversees competition in Great Britain, technology companies believe that this is too much freedom for one body and that their business is thus threatened.
The Law on Internet Security, whose adoption was announced in the fall, prescribes strict rules regarding the monitoring of content on social networks with the aim of protecting children. Violations are subject to high financial fines, as well as prison terms for individual technical managers, if companies do not comply with the rules.
One clause that has proved particularly controversial is the proposal that encrypted messages, which include those sent on WhatsApp, can be read and handed over to law enforcement via the platforms they are sent on, if there is deemed to be a threat to national security or to protect children from risk.
The children's charity described encrypted messaging apps as the "front line" where images of child abuse are shared, but it is also seen as a key security tool for campaigners, journalists and politicians.
WhatsApp, Proton and Signal have threatened to leave the UK market precisely because of this requirement from the new law.
The Digital Markets Bill is also making its way through parliament. It is proposed that the UK's competition regulator single out big companies such as Amazon and Microsoft, give them rules to follow and fines if they don't.
Microsoft reacted strongly when the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) decided to block the purchase of video game giant Activision Blizzard.
"There is a clear message here - the European Union is a more attractive place to start a business than the UK," raged chief executive Brad Smith.