On Wednesday the European Commission dropped its first set of fines against Apple and Meta after finding the US tech giants in breach of the bloc's Digital Markets Act. But the much-anticipated penalties felt more symbolic than a show of strength.
The disciplinary action was in the pipeline for over a year, as both companies were found guilty of practices that fall foul of the DMA. For Apple, its App Store was deemed unfair for directing users towards its own marketplace rather than competitors.
Meta meanwhile was pulled up for its advertising model, which bombards users with personalised ads if they don't pay to opt out.
Designed as a powerful piece of legislation to make the online space fairer, the DMA is a strong tool for regulators to keep Big Tech in check. But this week it seemed an implement more fearsome to those wielding it than those it is used against.
If the Commission is serious about getting tough on the titans of the online space it wasn't a ruling that individuals were eager to associate themselves with. Neither Competition Commissioner Teresa Ribera nor Tech Commissioner Henna Virkkunen showed up to announce it.
As the fines were unveiled, Ribera – who described the DMA as a "crucial instrument" to "ensure digital players can operate in contestable and fair markets" – was away on a week-long trip to Mexico. Virkkunen had chosen to spend the day in a small town in Germany, visiting a supercomputing factory.
Their absence only fuelled suspicions that the Commission was delaying the fines due to the fear of retaliatory tech tariffs from Trump, rumours that Ribera had previously dismissed with assurances that the EU would not be cowed by the US on big tech.
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