Apple, the maker of iPhones, and Meta, the company behind Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, were fined a total of US$ 800 million for violating a law in the European Union.
The fine, issued last Wednesday (16th), involves a new anti-competition law aimed at limiting the power of big tech companies within the European Union.
Apple was fined US$ 570 million for preventing app developers from directing users to cheaper options outside the App Store.
Meanwhile, Meta was hit with a US$ 230 million fine for forcing Facebook and Instagram users to choose between seeing ads or paying to avoid them, according to the regulator.
These penalties were the first imposed on major tech companies under the EU’s Digital Markets Act, adopted in 2022.
“Today’s announcements are yet another example of how the European Commission unfairly targets Apple in a series of decisions that are bad for our users’ privacy and security, bad for our products, and force us to offer our technology for free,” Apple said in a statement.
Meta also commented on the law, claiming that it is trying to “harm successful American companies while allowing Chinese and European companies to operate under different standards,” said a company spokesperson.
“This is not just about a fine; the Commission is forcing us to change our business model, effectively imposing a multi-billion-dollar charge on Meta and requiring us to offer an inferior service.”
Photo and video: Unsplash. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
