The European Union fined Apple and Meta nearly $800 million for breaking new rules outlined in the Digital Markets Act (DMA). Regulators launched the penalties following a yearlong investigation into whether both tech giants complied with the newly enforced legislation.
Apple received a 500 million euro fine for blocking developers from sharing alternate offers and payment links with users. Meanwhile, Meta must pay 200 million euros for its pay or consent model on instagram and Facebook across the EU.
The model requires users to accept targeted advertising or pay for an ad-free experience, which the Commission deemed coercive. Officials stressed the fine represents procedural enforcement and is not as large as earlier antitrust penalties issued to Big Tech firms.
Last year, Apple paid 1.8 billion euros for music streaming monopolization, while Meta faced 797 million euros in fines over ad market manipulation. This week, the Commission also issued Apple a cease-and-desist order demanding App Store changes before a late June compliance deadline.
If Apple misses the deadline, the EU warned that daily fines will follow for every day the violation continues unresolved. The EU also assesses whether Meta’s most recent policy changes meet DMA requirements and show meaningful progress in user rights.
Brussels insists these enforcement steps are vital to ensure fair competition in the single market and reduce Big Tech dominance. Tensions have escalated between Brussels and Washington, where U.S. officials called the DMA a hostile move against American companies.
President Trump has previously threatened tariffs in retaliation for EU regulations that disproportionately target U.S.-based technology platforms. Despite external pressure, the EU will continue pursuing compliance regardless of diplomatic or economic consequences with its allies.
In the United States, antitrust lawsuits continue to pile up against Apple, Amazon, Meta, and Google for market abuses and monopolies. Meta criticized the ruling and suggested an appeal, claiming the EU fines Apple and Meta under the Digital Markets Act unfairly target U.S. companies.
