Apple is accused of offering app developers limited opportunities to inform customers about cheaper offers outside the App Store. By doing so, Apple hinders fair competition and harms consumer interests, the European Commission ruled. The fine amounts to 500 million euros.
Meta was fined 200 million euros for its "pay or consent" model. Here, users had to choose between sharing their personal data for personalized advertisements or paying for ad-free access to Facebook and Instagram. The Commission found that this model pressured users' free choice.
Both Apple and Meta have indicated they will appeal the imposed fines. Apple argues that the Commission is making unreasonable demands and that the company has already made significant efforts to comply with the law. Meta accuses the EU of disadvantaging American companies in favor of European and Chinese competitors.
The European Commission has given both companies 60 days to adjust their practices. If they do not comply, they risk additional fines. The Commission is also currently investigating a new advertising model from Meta that was introduced in November 2024.
The Digital Markets Act (DMA) is a European law that obliges large digital platforms to enable fair competition and offer consumers more choice. Since the beginning of its implementation, this law has faced resistance from major tech companies, who call the rules too strict and market-disruptive. The Digital Markets Act is intended to limit the power of large technology companies and promote fair competition.
Brussels has previously imposed multimillion-euro fines on tech companies such as Meta, Apple, and Google. It was expected that new fines would be temporarily suspended due to the threat of a trade war with the United States, but the European Commission has continued with new sanctions.
EU officials have long been investigating possible violations by large technology companies. So far, previously imposed fines have not yet been collected because appeals procedures are still ongoing. The outcomes of these are not yet known.