Mark Zuckerberg, having become closer to Donald Trump, hopes to benefit from this, as the EU plans to fine Meta. This is reported by the WSJ.
In July 2024, the EU ruled that Facebook and Instagram's "pay or opt-in" advertising model violated the Digital Markets Act (DMA). A fine could be imposed soon.
After Trump's victory, Zuckerberg visited Mar-a-Lago several times, donated $1 million to his inauguration, and joined a group of businessmen supporting him. Meta also changed its policies: UFC head and Trump supporter Dana White joined the board, the company abandoned fact-checkers, and disbanded its diversity team.
Under the DMA and the Digital Services Act (DSA), the EU could fine Meta up to 10% of its annual revenue ($16 billion). That could hit the company hard, as the European market accounts for about a quarter of its revenue. Meta fears the ruling will force the company to allow users to opt out of personalized advertising for free.
Zuckerberg has already called on Trump to intervene and prevent fines for American tech companies. He is also pressuring American officials to help Meta avoid sanctions.
The EU is facing pressure to ease fines for US companies as Trump threatens trade sanctions. It remains to be seen whether Trump's support will help Meta avoid fines.