Britain pushes tough tech rules under new digital watchdog

LONDON (AP) — Big tech companies like Google and Facebook parent Meta would have to comply with tough British rules under a new digital watchdog aimed at giving consumers more choice online. Otherwise, they would face the threat of big fines. The U.K. government on Friday outlined the powers it’s planning for its Digital Markets Unit, a regulator set up last year to take on the dominance of tech giants. It didn’t specify when the rules would take force, saying legislation would come “in due course.” The new watchdog would enforce rules that make it easier for people to switch between iPhones and Android devices or between social media accounts without losing their data and messages.