European Regulators, With a Big Stick, Eye U.S. Tech Giants

European regulators continue to scrutinize the biggest U.S. tech companies for possible antitrust and privacy violations, the New York Times reports. Apple’s new music streaming service is said to be the latest product to have gotten the attention of Europe’s competition antitrust authorities. A five-year long investigation of Google, meanwhile, has taken a new turn. If the company is found to have violated the competition rules, the fine – based on a percentage of sales – could be in the billions of dollars. In addition, Facebook is facing inquiries about its privacy practices in numerous European jurisdictions, and several companies are being investigated for possible tax avoidance.