EU Charges Looming for Apple and Meta Under New Tech Regulations

Apple, Meta Set to Face EU Charges Under Landmark Tech Rules

The European Commission initiated investigations into these two companies, along with Alphabet’s Google, in March under the Digital Markets Act (DMA). The DMA mandates that major tech companies create opportunities for smaller competitors and facilitate user transitions between different online services such as social media platforms, web browsers, and app stores.

The European Commission views Apple and Meta as priority cases.

The Commission and Meta have both declined to comment. Apple referred back to its March statement, expressing confidence that its plans comply with the DMA and reiterating its ongoing constructive engagement with the Commission.

Penalties for non-compliance could reach up to 10% of a company’s global annual turnover.

The EU’s investigation focuses on Apple’s “steering” policies, which allegedly limit app developers’ ability to inform users about offers outside of the App Store without charge, as well as new fees imposed on developers.

The preliminary findings on Meta pertain to its recently introduced pay-or-consent model, where users can opt to pay a subscription for an ad-free experience on Facebook and Instagram.

The Financial Times was the first to report that Apple would face EU charges.