Senators Renew Push to Regulate App Stores

A bipartisan group of U.S. senators has reintroduced the Open App Markets Act, aiming to curb the gatekeeper power of Apple and Google over mobile app distribution. The bill would require Apple and Google to permit third-party app stores, sideloading, and alternative payment systems, while prohibiting anti-competitive practices such as self-preferencing and penalizing developers for offering lower prices elsewhere. Enforcement would be handled by the Federal Trade Commission and state attorneys general, giving official bodies the authority to pursue violations. Supporters argue the legislation would boost competition, innovation, and consumer choice, aligning with regulatory movements like the EU's Digital Markets Act. The renewed effort comes amid continued legal and regulatory scrutiny of app store practices in the U.S. and internationally. The Act must still pass both chambers of Congress and be signed by the President to become law.