The sanctions had been expected for some time, and while Donald Trump's return to power in Washington likely delayed their announcement, it was a step backwards to make things better. After a year-long investigation, the European Commission has imposed fines of €500 million on Apple and €200 million on Meta for violating the rules of the DMA, the aim of which is to rebalance the rules of competition. A first for this text.
Meta and Apple will appeal
On the According to Meta, the sanction is linked to the "consent or subscription" model, the famous paid formula launched in November 2023: for around ten euros per month, the European user can enjoy Facebook or Instagram without advertising.
For the Commission, the choice offered by Meta to Europeans is binary: either accept the collection and use of their personal data for targeted advertising on Facebook and Instagram, or subscribe to a paid service without advertising. This model does not comply with the DMA because it does not offer a free and equivalent alternative that would use less personal data - But obviously, this alternative goes completely against Meta's business...
The European authority also considers that the consent conditions imposed by the company were not sufficiently free and informed. Last November, Meta further watered down its wine by limiting the volume of targeted advertising, without managing to appease Brussels. This "late" modification does not cover the infringement period targeted by the sanction. But the investigation into the corrected version continues. Meta, which has 60 days to comply, is expected to appeal this sanction.
Apple is also being singled out. App developers are still unable to freely inform their users, from the App Store, of the possibility of purchasing their products or services outside the platform, sometimes at a more advantageous price. The technical and commercial restrictions imposed by Apple also prevent developers from accessing alternative distribution channels (third-party stores).
All of this limits consumer choice while reinforcing dependence on the App Store, without any justification deemed valid. The Californian company now has 60 days to remove these restrictions and avoid additional penalties in the form of penalty payments. An Apple representative told 01net that the company will appeal and denounce the "injustice" of which it is the victim:
Brussels nevertheless welcomes Apple's proactive cooperation in the investigation related to the obligation to offer users more services. This investigation is now over, which means one less thorn in the company's side.
Source: European Commission
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