The European Union has taken a significant step against two of the largest American tech giants – Apple and Meta – by imposing fines totaling up to 700 million euros.
This is the first case of penalties under the new Digital Markets Act, a law aimed at increasing competition and curbing monopolistic behaviors in the digital sector.
Apple has been hit with a 500 million euro fine, while Meta – the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp – has been fined 200 million euros.
According to the European Commission, which is leading the process, these companies have violated the new rules by using their dominant positions to harm competition and, ultimately, European consumers.
The year-long investigation has highlighted several problematic practices: Apple is accused of restricting app developers by preventing them from promoting their services outside of the App Store, while Meta has been criticized for how it uses users’ personal data for targeted advertising.
This EU decision is expected to provoke strong reactions from the United States. Former President Donald Trump has previously criticized the European approach toward American companies and warned of retaliatory measures in the form of trade tariffs against EU countries, calling it “an attempt to capitalize on the power and success of American technology.”
The EU, on the other hand, argues that its actions are aimed at ensuring a level playing field for all and protecting consumers from the dominance of a few companies in the digital market.
