Apple-Meta Fined: EU takes action against Apple-Meta, fines 50 and 200 million euros
New Delhi| European Union (EU) watchdogs fined Apple 500 million and Meta 200 million euros. This action has been taken in different cases related to digital business. The move follows increased enforcement of the bloc’s digital competition rules from 27 countries. This fine has been imposed by the European Commission, the executive branch of the EU, so that users’ access to cheap options and their choice to watch advertisements cannot be stopped.
The European Commission fined Apple 500 million euros ($571 million) for preventing app makers from pointing out cheaper alternatives outside their app stores for users. Also fined the Meta platform 200 million euros, as it forced Facebook and Instagram users to choose between paying to watch or avoid ads. This penalty of fine is less than the multi-billion-euro fine in the anti-trust case.
Apple-Meta should change behavior
Hena Virkkunen, executive vice president of the European Commission for Technological Sovereignty, said the Digital Markets Act seeks to ensure that citizens have complete control over when and how their data is made online. He said, today’s decisions show that both have taken away the free option from the users. They need to change behaviour.
Consumers have more choice
The EU’s Digital Markets Act (DMA) took action to give consumers and businesses more choice. It is a comprehensive rulebook that sets parameters to prevent big tech giants from taking over digital markets. Apple accused the commission of unfairly targeting the iPhone maker, saying it has spent hundreds of thousands of engineering hours and made dozens of changes to comply with the law. Meta official Joel Kaplan said he would appeal further.
