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EU Opens First DMA Non-Compliance Probes into Apple, Alphabet and Meta

On 25 March 2024 the European Commission opened its first non-compliance investigations under the Digital Markets Act, targeting Alphabet's Google Play steering and search self-preferencing, Apple's App Store steering and browser-choice screens, and Meta's 'pay or consent' model. In the causal graph this event strengthens Digital-Rights and Platform-Power Regulation, a driver that strengthens Alternative sources of information index — an improving welfare path.

Sources: [1][2][3][4]

Read the full account

On 25 March 2024 the European Commission opened its first non-compliance investigations under the Digital Markets Act, targeting Alphabet's Google Play steering and search self-preferencing, Apple's App Store steering and browser-choice screens, and Meta's 'pay or consent' model. The probes tested whether designated 'gatekeepers' were genuinely complying with the DMA's obligations and exposed them to fines of up to 10% of global turnover. The actions marked the start of active DMA enforcement just weeks after the rules took effect.

Who was responsible

Contribution type and responsibility level for each recorded actor — not sole-author shorthand.

  • European Commission

    Organization

    Shared responsibility

    verified

    Opening the first DMA non-compliance probes activated enforcement of rules constraining dominant-platform power.

  • Margrethe Vestager

    Person

    Shared responsibility

    verified

    Driving early DMA enforcement strengthened the regulatory check on dominant digital platforms.

What changed

Fact → Driver → Indicator. Relationship strength orders the paths; it is not the observed indicator movement.

Evidence

The sources behind this fact and its verification state.

Verified4 sources on file
  1. 1.Reuters — EU opens DMA investigationsReuters · High credibility · verified
  2. 2.Commission — first DMA non-compliance investigationsEuropean Commission · High credibility · verified
  3. 3.Digital Markets Act: Apple, Google and Meta at risk of 'heavy' fines as Europe launches new probesCNN Business · Medium credibility · verified
  4. 4.Commission opens non-compliance investigations against Alphabet, Apple and Meta under the Digital Markets ActEuropean Commission (Digital Markets Act) · Medium credibility · verified

Causal path

How this event connects to drivers and indicators in the graph.

  1. Actors (2)European Commission
  2. contributed toFactEU Opens First DMA Non-Compliance Probes into Apple, Alphabet and Meta
  3. strengthensDrivers (2)Digital-Rights and Platform-Power Regulation
  4. strengthensIndicatorAlternative sources of information index

Cite this page

Factrail. (2026). EU Opens First DMA Non-Compliance Probes into Apple, Alphabet and Meta. Factrail. https://factrail.ai/facts/tech-fact-eu-dma-noncompliance-probes-2024

https://factrail.ai/facts/tech-fact-eu-dma-noncompliance-probes-2024

Accessed 16 October 2026.

By the Factrail desk · Method: how we source and score · Last reviewed

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