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Date: 23-apr-2025
April 23, 2025 — Brussels, Belgium — The European Union has levied a combined total of $800 million (€700 million) in fines against Apple and Meta for violating key provisions of the Digital Markets Act (DMA), marking the first major enforcement action since the law came into effect earlier this year.
According to the European Commission, Apple was fined €500 million for engaging in anti-competitive behavior by restricting developers from informing users about alternative payment methods outside of the Apple App Store.
“Apple’s conduct has directly harmed consumers and stifled fair competition,” said Margrethe Vestager, EU Commissioner for Competition. “This behavior breaches the DMA’s core principle of enabling business users to reach customers freely.”
Under the DMA, gatekeepers like Apple must allow developers to direct users to third-party payment systems, an obligation Apple was found to be in violation of during a months-long investigation.
Meta Platforms Inc., parent company of Facebook and Instagram, received a €200 million fine for its controversial “pay or consent” model. This policy forced users to choose between accepting personalized ads or paying for an ad-free subscription—an approach regulators claim undermines genuine user consent.
“Users must be given a real choice,” the Commission stated. “Meta’s practices tilt the balance unfairly, coercing users into consent under the threat of payment.”
Privacy advocacy groups have long criticized the model, arguing it manipulates users into handing over personal data, violating the spirit of both the DMA and GDPR regulations.
This joint action against Apple and Meta is the first use of the DMA, a sweeping regulation designed to curb the power of “gatekeeper” tech companies operating in the EU.
The fines are a clear signal that European regulators intend to take an aggressive stance on Big Tech compliance. Companies designated as gatekeepers under the DMA have just 60 days to comply with outlined corrective measures or risk further sanctions.
Apple and Meta have both stated they are reviewing the Commission’s decisions and exploring appeal options. Industry analysts expect this ruling to reshape how major tech platforms operate in Europe, particularly in terms of payment systems and user data practices.
With further investigations into Amazon, Google, and TikTok already underway, this may be just the beginning of the EU’s regulatory push under the DMA.
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