Europe Begins Rethinking Its Crackdown on Big Tech

Credit...Edmon de HaroSupported bySKIP ADVERTISEMENTListen to this article 7:58 min Learn moreShare full article79By Adam Satariano and Jeanna SmialekAdam Satariano reported from London and Jeanna Smialek from Brussels.Nov. 17, 2025After more than a decade of aggressively regulating the technology industry, the European Union is having second thoughts.In a significant shift, policymakers in Brussels are moving to scale back and simplify landmark rules for artificial intelligence and data privacy. Driven by growing concern that overregulation is stifling economic growth, officials and business leaders across the 27-nation bloc are questioning whether Europes digital rulebook has gone too far and left companies lagging the United States and China. The Trump administration has also criticized Europes regulations.The rethinking is set to be laid out in a digital package of simplification that the European Commission, which manages much of the blocs day-to-day work, plans to unveil on Wednesday. According to drafts circulated in recent weeks, which were reviewed by The New York Times, key aspects of the General Data Protection Regulation, or G.D.P.R., a data privacy law, would be rewritten. Parts of a law restricting certain uses of A.I. would also be delayed.Europe has long been seen as Big Techs most formidable global watchdog. Authorities in Brussels have levied billions of dollars in fines and forced business changes at Amazon, Apple, Google and Meta for antitrust breaches, data abuses and the unchecked spread of illicit content.