Meta Platforms may soon face daily fines after EU regulators warned that its revised pay-or-consent advertising model might still fail to comply with the bloc’s Digital Markets Act (DMA).
The European Commission, which enforces EU antitrust rules, said Friday it is evaluating Meta’s limited changes and may impose penalties if non-compliance persists.
In April, Meta was fined €200 million ($234 million) for initially breaching the DMA with a model introduced in November 2023 that offered users a choice: consent to data tracking for a free, ad-supported service, or pay for an ad-free version. The Commission said the changes Meta introduced in late 2024 still appear inadequate.
Under the DMA, companies can face daily fines of up to 5% of their global turnover for continued violations. A final decision on further penalties could come as early as June 27, 2025, if Meta’s compliance remains unsatisfactory.
Meta has pushed back, accusing the EU of unfairly singling it out. “A user choice between a subscription for no ads or a free, ad-supported service remains a legitimate business model for every company in Europe — except Meta,” said a spokesperson. The EU, however, rejected the discrimination claims, saying the rules apply equally to all major digital platforms operating in Europe.
