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The EU announced its DMA investigations into Apple, Meta and Google last March.
In a bid to avoid furthering tensions with the US, the European Union will impose minimal fines on Apple and Meta as part of its Digital Markets Act (DMA) investigations, the Financial Times reports.
According to the publication, both tech juggernauts will be fined well below the maximum threshold of 10pc of global annual turnover, although the Commission will enforce changes to the services they offer. Decisions are expected from the Commission next week.
Apple is expected to be ordered to revise its App Store in line with the EU’s requirements, while Meta will be ordered to change its ‘pay or consent’ model.
The US has continually expressed its interest in tech de-regulation. At the recent Paris AI summit, US vice-president JD Vance criticised the EU’s rules on Big Tech, claiming that some of the US’s “most productive companies” are “forced” to deal with these regulations.
While president Donald Trump in a memorandum called EU fines “overseas extortion”.
The EU first started probing Apple, Meta and Google’s owner Alphabet under the DMA back in March 2024. It was concerned that Apple’s rules around its web browser, App Store and default settings might be preventing users from exercising their choice of services.
While Meta was being investigated for its ‘pay or consent’ model, which required users to either pay or consent to personalised ads. These targeted ads would be based on personal data, which users could avoid through a fee.
Meta, however, rolled back the ad model later in the year, stating that it would “significantly reduce the price of subscription for no ads”, while EU users could use Facebook and Instagram for free with less personalised ads.
Moreover, Google, which was being investigated for its “self-preferencing” its services such as Google Shopping and Flights, also proposed changes for the EU region.
Meanwhile, Apple has been making changes to its rules in the EU over the last year, releasing App Store updates to comply with the region’s regulations, while also allowing users to delete the App Store entirely for the first time.
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