A recent verified application of this strategy includes a mandate requiring Google to share its search data with competitors to reduce its market dominance.
This shift matters because it prioritizes immediate changes in platform behavior over long-term legal battles for record-breaking fines.
According to the European Commission, the primary goal of the DMA is to reshape the digital market rather than maximize revenue from penalties.
However, some smaller European firms, such as those in the Initiative for Neutral Search coalition, argue that lower fines might be seen by American gatekeepers as a mere "price of doing business" and could weaken trust in the Commission as an effective arbiter for smaller competitors.
As the EU adopts this lower-profile enforcement strategy to avoid diplomatic tension with the United States, affected companies are seeking alternative ways to challenge dominant platforms.
Technical changes are already occurring; for example, Apple recently scrapped certain developer fees to avoid penalties, and Microsoft adjusted default browser settings following informal regulatory dialogues.
Consequently, more businesses are turning to national courts in countries like Germany and France to file private lawsuits for damages, a mechanism that experts suggest will play a growing role in the future of technology regulation.