Google’s practices are under the microscope as Swiss Android users are reportedly getting fewer search options compared to their counterparts in the EU. This revelation has sparked concerns from regulators who argue that the absence of a required choice screen for Swiss users could limit the visibility of competing search engines during the setup of their devices.
Back in March 2020, the European Commission and Google reached an agreement mandating that a choice screen appear on all new Android devices shipped to the European Economic Area (EEA) and the UK. This was later reinforced by the Digital Markets Act (DMA), which compels “gatekeepers” like Google to provide users with choice screens and allow them to easily switch default settings they don’t prefer. Google was officially designated a gatekeeper in September 2023, expanding its choice screens in March 2024 to comply with these regulations.
However, no similar obligation exists for Swiss users, much to the surprise of Swiss officials who believed they wouldn’t need one. A recent assessment in 2023 directly challenges this assumption, highlighting the gap in digital market regulations between Switzerland and the EU. The Swiss government does have a platform law in the works, and the Federal Council opened a consultation in October 2025 regarding a Federal Act on Communication Platforms and Search Engines, which concluded in February. But here’s the catch – this bill is modeled after the EU’s Digital Services Act and focuses on content moderation and transparency, not default settings. Experts predict that this bill won’t even reach the Swiss parliament until late 2026 or early 2027.
As it stands, a preliminary investigation is underway to determine if there are grounds for a formal competition case against Google in Switzerland. Yahu, can you believe that? The gap in regulations might just be a goldmine for competition, but for now, Swiss users are left without the same options as their EU neighbors.
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Kaynak: Orijinal Haber