EU Hits Apple & Meta With First DMA Fines Amid Political Tensions

Apple and Meta were fined a combined €700M by EU regulators under the new Digital Markets Act—marking the first penalties issued since the law took effect. Apple was dinged €500M for restricting app developers from linking outside its App Store, while Meta received €200M for its ad-free subscription model. The relatively light fines come amid pressure from former President Trump, who has threatened trade retaliation over perceived anti-U.S. tech bias. Both companies plan to appeal, accusing the EU of unfair targeting, while regulators warned that non-compliance could trigger even steeper penalties.