backThe European Commission has fined Meta €200 million for violating the Digital Markets Act (DMA) through its “Consent or Pay” model, introduced in late 2023. The system required EU users of Facebook and Instagram to choose between accepting the use of their personal data for targeted ads or paying a subscription to avoid them. The Commission concluded this model failed to provide a meaningful alternative with reduced data processing and did not allow users to freely consent to the combination of their data across Meta’s services.
On the same day, Apple was fined €500 million for anticompetitive practices related to its App Store, bringing total fines against tech giants to over €700 million. Meta strongly criticized the decision, accusing the Commission of targeting successful American companies while applying different standards to European and Chinese firms. It warned that restricting personalized advertising could harm the European economy. Both Meta and Apple now have 60 days to comply or face additional sanctions.
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