EU fines Apple, Meta millions for breaching tech competition rules

The European Union has fined Apple €500 million (about $568 million) and Meta €200 million (about $227 million) for allegedly breaching the bloc’s Digital Markets Act, according to The Wall Street Journal.

The EU has accused Apple of failing to comply with an obligation to allow app developers to inform customers of alternative ways to buy digital products.

In regard to Meta, the EU says that the company must stop requiring users on Instagram and Facebook to agree to personalized ads or be forced to pay for a subscription. The Commission is still deciding whether it will accept Meta’s “less-personalized ads” option.

The EU has also issued cease-and-desist orders against the companies at a time when tensions are high between the bloc and the U.S. over trade policies and President Donald Trump’s support for Ukraine wanes. Trump has characterized EU tech regulations as non-tariff barriers to trade and threatened to respond to those rules with tariffs.

Both Apple and Meta said they would appeal the EU’s decisions.

In a statement, Apple said the EU has “unfairly” targeted the company and that its decisions “are bad for the privacy and security of our users, bad for products, and force us to give away our technology for free.”

Meta’s chief global affairs officer Joel Kaplan accused the Commission of trying to “handicap successful American businesses while allowing Chinese and European companies to operate under different standards.”

“This isn’t about a fine; the Commission forcing us to change our business model effectively imposes a multi-billion-dollar tariff on Meta while requiring us to offer an inferior service,” Kaplan continued.

This article has been updated with statements from Apple and Meta.