- Apple fined $571M for blocking app developers from promoting cheaper offers outside its App Store
- Meta fined $228M for “coercive” consent practices around ad-free subscription models on Facebook and Instagram
What happened: EU fines Apple and Meta for restricting user choice and competition
The European Union has fined Apple and Meta a combined $799M for violating sweeping digital competition rules designed to rein in the dominance of Big Tech platforms. Apple received a $571M penalty for restricting app developers from directing users to more affordable offers outside its App Store, a move regulators say stifled competition and harmed consumers.
Meta was fined $228M for its controversial “pay-or-consent” model introduced on Facebook and Instagram. Users in Europe were asked to either accept targeted ads or pay a monthly fee to avoid them. Regulators argued this approach failed to provide a meaningful, free choice to users and effectively pressured them into sharing personal data.
Also read: EU targets Google with potential billions in fines over search dominance under new Digital Markets Act
Also read: EU antitrust regulators to spell out how Apple must open up to rivals
Why it’s important
These decisions are the EU’s most forceful application yet of the Digital Markets Act (DMA), which emerged in March 2024 and aims to dismantle monopolistic practices by dominant “gatekeepers” in the digital economy. The act obliges companies like Apple and Meta to change how they operate in the European market, particularly in handling data and user access.
EU Commission Vice-President Henna Virkkunen said the rulings were necessary to restore fairness and transparency in digital markets. “Both Apple and Meta took away users’ freedom of choice,” she said, adding that the firms must now adjust their practices or face further penalties. Apple and Meta have confirmed plans to appeal, with Apple criticising the Commission for “moving the goal posts,” and Meta warning that the ruling could impose a “multi-billion-dollar tariff” on its business model.
