Asger Risom
Brussels risks diplomatic friction with Washington amid digital crackdown
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The European Union has imposed €700 million in fines on U.S. tech giants Apple and Meta for breaching its Digital Markets Act (DMA), intensifying the transatlantic digital policy standoff.
The penalties—€500 million for Apple and €200 million for Meta—are the first issued under the DMA and could potentially spark tensions with U.S. President Donald Trump, already embroiled in a trade conflict with Brussels.
Apple Penalized for Restricting Developer Communication
The European Commission found that Apple failed to comply with DMA obligations requiring it to allow app developers to inform customers of alternative purchasing options outside of its App Store.
According to the Commission, Apple imposed unjustified restrictions that limited users’ ability to access cheaper offers and prevented developers from effectively promoting external services.
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Although Apple proactively worked to meet other compliance requirements related to user choice, the Commission deemed the company’s actions regarding in-app communications non-compliant and ordered immediate changes.
Apple has 60 days to implement the required modifications or face additional periodic fines.
Meta’s “Consent or Pay” Model Deemed Inadequate
Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, was fined for failing to offer users a genuine choice between personalized advertising and a less intrusive alternative.
Under its previous “Consent or Pay” system, EU users had to either consent to extensive data collection or pay for an ad-free experience.
The Commission concluded that this binary option didn’t provide a meaningful alternative, as mandated by the DMA.
Meta has since introduced a revised model, which is under current review. Nonetheless, the fine reflects its non-compliance between March and November 2024, when the DMA became enforceable.
The Commission also ruled that Facebook Marketplace no longer qualifies as a “core platform service” under the regulation, following a review of its business user base.
Both Apple and Meta must demonstrate full compliance within the next two months. As reported by Digi24, failure to do so could result in escalating sanctions and further enforcement actions.
