Technological journalist
Getty imagesThe European Union ordered Apple and the Meta to pay 700 million euros combined (599 million pounds sterling) during the first fines it issued under the legislation intended to limit the power of Big Tech.
He issued a fine of 500 million euros (428 million pounds Sterling) to Apple during his App Store, while Meta was sentenced to a fine of 200 million euros (171 million pounds sterling) on the amount that users of choice had to consent to data collection.
“We have a duty to protect the rights of citizens and innovative companies in Europe,” said Commissioner Henna Virkkunen in a statement.
The two technological companies reacted with anger, with the meta-accusation of the EU to have “tried to handicap successful American companies” and Apple saying that it was “unfairly targeted” and forced to “give our technology for free”.
The fines are lower than those issued by the EU in the past, but – taking into account the increased economic tensions with America – are still likely to anger US President Donald Trump.
The United States has raised a 10% rate on EU imports, which Trump has accused of “taking advantage” of America.
EU spokesperson Arianna Podesta insisted that the questions were “completely separated”, saying to the BBC: “These are the application, these are not commercial negotiations.”
The White House was contacted for comments.
Data and applications
The European Commission – the EU executive – launched the two surveys last year Under a new law concluded to promote equity in the technology sector, called the law on digital markets (DMA).
The case against Apple was above his app store.
The Commission indicates that it must freely offer alternative application markets to users and application developers – and says that Apple in Viola in violation.
Meanwhile, Meta’s fine was on the choices he offered on data collection.
Meta introduced a “consent or pay“The model, which meant that users had to choose between allowing Meta to combine data that she had collected on Facebook and Instagram, or Pay a monthly subscription.
The Commission indicates that this model has not allowed users to freely consent to the way their data has been used.
In November, Meta introduced another option which, according to the Commission, “allegedly used less personal data to display advertisements”.
The Commission is currently assesing the new option.
In both cases, the Commission indicates that the size of the fine takes into account “the severity and duration of non-compliance”.
The two companies have 60 days to comply or risk other fines.
“Apple and Meta are below respecting the DMA by implementing measures that strengthen the dependence of professional users and consumers on their platforms,” said Commissioner Teresa Ribera.
“Consequently, we have taken firm but balanced the measures to apply the law against the two companies, on the basis of clear and predictable rules.”
Apple said that the Commission had made “a series of decisions that are bad for the confidentiality and safety of our users, bad for products and forces us to give our technology for free”.
He also accused the commission of “(moving) the goal stations” during their meetings.
Meta said the decision means that Chinese and European companies are authorized to operate according to different standards compared to American companies.
“It is not only a fine; the commission forces us to change our business model effectively requires a price of several billion dollars on META while forcing us to offer a lower service,” he said in a statement.
Epic dispute
Fines are relatively low given the enormous world income of technological companies – and are a fraction of 2.4 billion euros from Google From last September.
But they are important in the context of the current global economic situation.
In February, Donald Trump’s White House issued A memorandum Complain about the US and US EU and Kingdom regulation of American technological companies.
“Today’s decisions are important in that they confirm that the European Commission does not decrease,” said Anne Witt, professor of law at EDHEC Business School in France, at the BBC.
Professor Witt said that the disagreement was “not so much on the principles of noun antitrust”, since the American government takes itself A number of large technological companies in court Above the alleged monopoly power.
They are more “on the fact that European institutions tell American companies how to behave, even if these decisions are limited for these companies to behave on European soil,” she added.
A company satisfied with the decision against Apple is Epic Games, the manufacturers of Fortnite.
They had a long -standing dispute on the distribution of their applications on Apple devices.
Epic Games CEO, Tim Sweeney, said the decision was “excellent news for application developers worldwide” A thread on X.
He urged the United States to adopt similar legislation which would allow developers to distribute its applications without using Apple App Store, which charges costs for the use of its platform.
A reflection group based in the United States, which is partly funded by large technological companies, including Apple and Meta, has spoken out against the decision.
The Foundation on Information Technologies and Innovation said that the European Commission “clearly indicated that the DMA will be used to extract revenues from American companies when they continue to endeavor to comply with its restrictions.”
“The actions of the Commission today will not be well received by the Trump administration,” he said.
The United Kingdom is also investigating large technological companies on an alleged monopoly power, after a digital competition law was brought last year by focusing on businesses with large market share.
“Apple and Google mobile ecosystems and General search for Google And research advertising services are currently under investigation to potentially have this status, and it is likely that other giants and platforms of American technology will face similar surveys in the near future, “said Andrew Maxwell, partner of the Freeth law firm.