Apple, Meta first to be hit by EU digital law

EU regulators on Wednesday said Apple and Meta were the first companies to be penalized for violating a new law intended to increase competition in the digital economy, the latest in a string of regulatory setbacks for the tech giants.

Apple was fined €500 million and Meta was fined €200 million for breaking the law, the Digital Markets Act, which was adopted in 2022. The European law aims to keep big tech companies from abusing their position as digital gatekeepers that can unilaterally impose requirements on users and businesses.