The fines cap off a year-long investigation by the European Commission, which found that both companies violated new rules aimed at creating a fairer digital marketplace and ensuring smaller competitors can compete on equal footing. The penalties were officially announced at a press conference in Brussels and immediately sparked a new round of tension between Brussels and Washington.
New Rules, Swift Action
The Digital Markets Act, which took effect in 2023, targets so-called “gatekeepers”—large tech platforms that control access to digital markets. These companies, including Apple, Meta, Google, Amazon, and others, are required to abide by stricter standards to ensure transparency, data protection, and competition.
For Apple, the Commission found the company guilty of restricting app developers from steering consumers toward alternative, often cheaper, purchasing options outside the App Store. Apple’s terms were deemed anti-competitive, with regulators ordering the company to dismantle these limitations. The Commission also criticized Apple’s Core Technology Fee, a new charge it applies to developers using alternative app distribution systems, calling it a disincentive to fair competition.
Meta, on the other hand, was sanctioned for its “pay-or-consent” model introduced in 2023. Under this system, users on Facebook and Instagram were given a choice: accept targeted ads by consenting to personal data tracking, or pay for an ad-free experience. The Commission found that this violated DMA requirements between November 2023 and November 2024, before Meta implemented adjustments to the model.
Tech Giants Push Back
Both companies have signaled intent to contest the rulings.
Apple blasted the Commission’s decision in a statement, saying, “Today’s announcements are yet another example of the European Commission unfairly targeting Apple in a series of decisions that are bad for the privacy and security of our users, bad for products, and force us to give away our technology for free.”
Meta echoed similar frustrations. Joel Kaplan, the company’s Chief Global Affairs Officer, argued that the Commission’s actions amounted to a “multi-billion-dollar tariff” on U.S. businesses.
“This isn’t just about a fine; the Commission forcing us to change our business model effectively imposes a cost that is disproportionate and discriminatory,” Kaplan said.
Global Ramifications
The fines come amid growing transatlantic friction, especially with former U.S. President Donald Trump—who has made a political comeback—criticizing the DMA and threatening retaliatory tariffs. In February, Trump vowed to “defend American companies and innovators from overseas extortion.”
EU regulators have emphasized that the fines are focused on compliance and not retaliation. Sources within the Commission noted that short duration of the violations and an emphasis on reform over punishment influenced the relatively modest fines, especially compared to the multibillion-dollar penalties seen under previous antitrust chief Margrethe Vestager.
Still, observers expect Alphabet’s Google and Elon Musk’s X (formerly Twitter) to face similar scrutiny. An EU source noted that a recent U.S. court decision ruling Google’s adtech dominance illegal may bolster Brussels’ efforts to pursue its own case against the company.
Selective Compliance and Adjustments
While Apple was fined for restrictions on app sideloading, it avoided a separate penalty related to browser options on iPhones. The Commission closed that investigation after Apple introduced changes that allowed users to easily switch browsers or search engines—an adjustment deemed DMA-compliant.
Meanwhile, Meta’s Marketplace platform was removed from the list of designated DMA gatekeepers due to falling below user thresholds.
Despite the tweaks, EU officials remain firm in their intent.
“We have taken firm but balanced enforcement action against both companies, based on clear and predictable rules,” said EU antitrust chief Teresa Ribera. “All companies operating in the EU must follow our laws and respect European values.”
The Road Ahead
EU lawmaker Andreas Schwab warned that enforcement must remain consistent and uncompromised by political or trade considerations.
“There can be no leeway in enforcement as this may also impact the importance of competition policy in general,” Schwab said. “Any decision seemingly influenced by external trade tensions is dangerous for the entire EU project.”
Both Apple and Meta now have two months to comply with the Commission’s demands—or face daily fines of up to 5% of their global turnover.
As Big Tech adapts to the DMA era, the latest rulings signal the EU’s determination to set a global precedent in digital regulation—and redefine how technology giants operate within the world's largest single market.