Apple and Meta have been fined €500 million and €200 million respectively by the European Union for breaching the bloc’s new Digital Markets Act, escalating tensions in the transatlantic tech trade dispute.
The European Commission has imposed hefty fines on tech giants Apple and Meta for violating the EU’s Digital Markets Act (DMA), marking one of the bloc’s most forceful moves yet to rein in dominant online platforms.
Apple was fined €500 million for limiting app developers’ ability to inform users about alternative, cheaper subscription options outside of the App Store. The Commission found that these restrictions hindered competition and harmed consumers by preventing access to better deals.
“Due to a number of restrictions imposed by Apple, app developers cannot fully benefit from alternative distribution channels… and consumers cannot fully benefit from cheaper offers,” the Commission stated. Apple has been ordered to lift the technical and commercial barriers it places on developers.
Meanwhile, Meta — the parent company of Facebook and Instagram — received a €200 million penalty for its controversial “consent or pay” subscription model. Introduced in late 2023, the system charged users a monthly fee if they declined to have their personal data used for targeted ads.
The Commission ruled that the model did not offer genuine consent and failed to provide users with a meaningful choice. Investigators found that fewer than one percent of users opted to pay, suggesting that the model effectively coerced consent for data usage.
“These practices forced users to consent to the use of their personal data for advertising,” said a senior Commission official.
The penalties follow separate antitrust investigations opened in 2023, shortly after the DMA came into force. The new law targets so-called “gatekeepers” — large digital firms with the power to control market access — and is designed to ensure fair competition across the EU’s digital landscape.
The ruling is expected to fuel ongoing trade tensions between Brussels and Washington. U.S. President Donald Trump has criticized the EU’s regulatory stance, calling it discriminatory against American tech firms.
Both Apple and Meta are expected to appeal the fines in EU courts.
German police say at least 17 people were injured in a knife attack at Hamburg’s main train station on Friday.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has ordered the arrest of those responsible for the failed launch of the country’s second naval destroyer, calling the incident an “unpardonable criminal act” and demanding accountability amid skepticism over the extent of damage to the warship.
A U.S. federal judge has temporarily blocked the Trump administration’s attempt to strip Harvard University of its ability to enrol international students, following a lawsuit that marks a major escalation in tensions between the White House and the Ivy League institution.
Russia and Ukraine have carried out a major prisoner exchange, each returning 270 military personnel and 120 civilians to the other side, according to the Russian Defense Ministry.
U.S. federal authorities have charged the alleged leader of an Eastern European neo-Nazi group with plotting acts of domestic terrorism, following an investigation that uncovered plans targeting Jewish and minority communities.
Iran and the United States ended their fifth round of nuclear talks in Rome with some progress but no resolution, according to the mediator from Oman.
Despite warnings from FEMA that offering aid to migrants might violate smuggling laws, shelters along the U.S.-Mexico border continue to receive individuals released by ICE, creating confusion and concern among nonprofits.
Russia is preparing to present Ukraine with a draft peace proposal once a recent prisoner swap concludes, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov announced Friday, signaling a potential step forward in peace efforts.
Boeing has struck a deal with the U.S. Justice Department to avoid criminal charges over the 737 Max tragedies, agreeing to pay over $1.1 billion in penalties, victim support, and safety reforms.
Tensions flare in the India-France Rafale deal as France refuses to share the fighter jet’s source code, limiting India’s ability to integrate indigenous weapons and reducing its combat autonomy.
France has rejected India’s request to share source codes needed to integrate indigenous weapons into Rafale fighter jets. Despite repeated appeals, French manufacturer Dassault Aviation has refused to compromise on the issue
Anton Kobyakov, adviser to Russian President Vladimir Putin, claimed at the St. Petersburg International Legal Forum that the USSR’s dissolution was legally invalid and that the Soviet Union still exists under constitutional law, framing the Ukraine war as an “internal process.”
In a region long defined by conflict and complex history, AnewZ set out to hear the voices that matter most- those of the people.
Two staff members from the Israeli embassy in Washington, D.C.- Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Lynn Milgrim were shot and killed on Wednesday night by a lone gunman as they left an event at the Capital Jewish Museum, close to the White House.
Oil prices fell for the first time in three weeks, with expectations mounting that OPEC+ will raise production in July, Bloomberg reported.
Adidas and Puma are expected to raise prices in the U.S. after Nike increased footwear costs, as rising import tariffs push up expenses across the sportswear industry.
Shein says French consumers may face higher prices if the EU imposes handling fees and France enacts new penalties on fast fashion. The platform criticizes the lack of dialogue with authorities as pressure mounts on budget e-commerce models.
Telegram has reported a remarkable $540 million profit last year, marking its first annual profit after years of losses. The Dubai-based messaging app’s revenues surged to $1.4 billion in 2024, up from $343 million the previous year, based on a company presentation reviewed by the Financial Times.
The U.S. government's decision in April 2025 to impose stricter export controls on advanced semiconductors has delivered a significant blow to Nvidia, compelling the company to obtain licenses for sales of its H20 AI chips to China—one of its largest and most strategically important markets.
U.S. federal authorities have charged the alleged leader of an Eastern European neo-Nazi group with plotting acts of domestic terrorism, following an investigation that uncovered plans targeting Jewish and minority communities.
Iran and the United States ended their fifth round of nuclear talks in Rome with some progress but no resolution, according to the mediator from Oman.
Despite warnings from FEMA that offering aid to migrants might violate smuggling laws, shelters along the U.S.-Mexico border continue to receive individuals released by ICE, creating confusion and concern among nonprofits.
Russia is preparing to present Ukraine with a draft peace proposal once a recent prisoner swap concludes, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov announced Friday, signaling a potential step forward in peace efforts.
Boeing has struck a deal with the U.S. Justice Department to avoid criminal charges over the 737 Max tragedies, agreeing to pay over $1.1 billion in penalties, victim support, and safety reforms.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment