The European Union has fined Apple and Meta a total of €700 million ($798 million) for violating antitrust rules for Bit Tech companies. The fines come after previous reports that the EU does not want to increase tensions in relations with Donald Trump and will not impose large fines. Bloomberg reports.
Apple and Meta have been fined individually – €500 million and €200 million respectively – under the Digital Markets Act (DMA). While significant, these penalties are smaller than previous ones imposed by the EU, likely due to criticism from Donald Trump about pressure on US tech companies.
As for the reasons for the fines, Apple was punished for prohibiting developers from directing users outside the App Store. Meta was fined for its ad-free paid subscription model on Instagram and Facebook, which violates European law.
The maximum fines for violating the DMA can be up to 10% of a company's annual revenue, so the total of €700 million seems quite lenient. Apple and Meta have 60 days to comply with the EU's demands or face further financial sanctions.
The European Union investigation does not end there. Apple has already been warned that its new developer rewards system does not meet European requirements, despite being designed specifically for the EU market. Regarding the fines already imposed, Cupertino accused regulators of discrimination and attempts to force the company to transfer its technology for free. Apple will appeal the EU decision in court.
At the same time, Meta also stated that the regulator "is attempting to handicap successful American businesses while allowing Chinese and European companies to operate under different standards."