EU fines Apple and Meta €700m (CAD 1.1bn) for digital market violations
The European Commission has imposed fines of €500 (CAD 787) million on Apple and €200 (CAD 315) million on Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, as of Wednesday. This is due to violations of the Digital Markets Act (DMA). The companies now have 60 days to comply with the European Commission's decision.
Apple was fined for restricting app developers from advertising their products outside of the App Store. Developers were unable to inform users about alternative distribution channels, which limited consumers' access to potentially cheaper offers.
Meta, on the other hand, forced users to choose between sharing their data for advertising purposes or paying for an ad-free experience. It did not give users the option to decide what data they would share with advertisers.
Both Apple and Meta have 60 days to comply with the European Commission's decision. Failure to do so may result in additional periodic fines.
The provisions of the Digital Markets Act (DMA), which are set to take effect in March 2024, aim to ensure fair competition within the European Union market.
