EU: Advocacy group raises concern with "low fines" after Apple & Meta fined EUR700m by European Commission for breaching Digital Markets Act; incl. cos. comments
Advocacy group European Digital Rights (EDRi) has raised concerns with the “low fines” imposed on Apple and Meta following breaches of the Digital Markets Act (DMA) by the two companies. The fines are the first penalties under the DMA.
While we commend the strong stance taken by the Commission in backing EU’s digital laws, we are concerned about the low fines – a pittance for Big Tech companies like Meta and Apple as revealed by a recent investigation. Both companies also have a history of playing compliance games with regulators, treating it as a mere box-checking exercise.European Digital Rights (EDRi)
Meta was fined for its “pay or consent” model, which EDRi says “forced people to pay for their right to privacy or consent to extensive commercial surveillance”, including on Facebook and Instagram. Apple was fined for its app store rules, which prevent app developers from freely informing users about alternative offers and content.
Apple was fined EUR500m, and Meta EUR200m.
An Apple representative said the Commission was "unfairly targeting Apple in a series of decisions that are bad for the privacy and security of our users, bad for products, and force us to give away our technology for free." The company intends to appeal the decision. Meta said the fine was an attempt to “handicap successful American businesses while allowing Chinese and European companies to operate under different standards”.