Meta’s new push against the EU, Zuckerberg’s request to Trump
In this DML Report…
Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, is pushing the Trump administration to challenge a looming European Union antitrust fine tied to its “pay or consent” advertising model. The EU’s European Commission ruled in November 2024 that Meta’s policy—forcing users to either pay for ad-free access or allow data tracking—violates the Digital Markets Act (DMA), with a penalty expected to reach $1 billion or more. CEO Mark Zuckerberg, who has called EU fines a “form of taxation” on U.S. firms, met with Trump trade officials in late March to argue that the ruling threatens Meta’s $135 billion annual ad revenue, pressing for U.S. intervention to soften or block the fine.
The EU’s case, launched in July 2024, accuses Meta of exploiting its 2.8 billion Facebook users and 2 billion Instagram users by bundling services like Marketplace with its social platforms, giving it an edge over rivals like eBay. The Commission’s November decision also demands Meta stop using competitors’ ad data and offer a separate Marketplace version—moves Meta claims would gut its business model. Meta plans to appeal the fine, due by mid-April 2025, while leaning on Trump’s administration, which took office in January, to pressure the EU, citing Trump’s past threats of tariffs on nations targeting U.S. tech giants.
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Trump has signaled support, having criticized EU fines as unfair during a December 2024 “60 Minutes” interview, and added UFC CEO Dana White to Meta’s board in February 2025 to strengthen ties. Meta’s outreach follows a $841 million EU fine in November 2024 for Marketplace antitrust breaches, which it’s also appealing, and a $1.3 billion penalty in 2023 for data transfers. The company argues the DMA ruling could force a no-ads, no-tracking option, slashing profits, while the White House weighs its next move amid Trump’s broader push to shield American firms from foreign regulators.