Zuckerberg seeking Trump’s help against Meta EU ruling: WSJ
4 Min Read
Facebook owner Meta pressures US trade officials to challenge a European law that threatens its ad revenue model.
-
Mark Zuckerberg, chief executive officer of Meta, makes a point during an appearance at SIGGRAPH 2024, the premier conference on computer graphics and interactive techniques, on July 29, 2024, at the Colorado Convention Center in downtown Denver. (AP)
Following Trump’s election, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg aligned with the new administration’s priorities by dismantling Meta’s diversity team, shutting down its fact-checking program, and adding UFC President and Trump ally Dana White to its board.
According to a Wall Street Journal report, in one of Zuckerberg’s first major requests since Trump took office, Meta executives have recently urged US trade officials to push back against an impending EU fine and cease-and-desist order, sources said.
The ruling would require Meta to offer Facebook and Instagram users an ad-free option, threatening the company’s primary revenue stream.
Meta is seeking US intervention, hoping the Trump administration—set to announce new tariffs on the EU and others—will take a tough stance, pressuring the European Commission to soften the decision.
“This is not just about fines—it’s about the Commission seeking to handicap successful American businesses simply because they’re American, while letting Chinese and European rivals off the hook,” a Meta spokesperson said.
According to the report, a European Commission spokesperson stated that EU laws are enforced equally for all companies, regardless of their country of origin.
The WSJ report suggested that Zuckerberg has spent the past year pushing back after being frustrated due to increasing European regulations, rulings, and taxes. Following Trump’s inauguration, he expressed a desire to collaborate with the administration to counter global regulations, particularly in Europe, where he claimed laws are “institutionalizing censorship and making it difficult to build anything innovative.”
Zuckerberg met with US officials in Washington in February, urging them to challenge overseas regulations that Meta claims hinder American competitiveness abroad, according to sources familiar with the meetings.
Meta faces EU scrutiny over Digital Markets
Last week, during a discussion with EU officials in Washington, US trade representatives raised concerns about the EU’s Digital Markets Act—under which Meta is accused of violations—along with other issues related to the bloc, sources said.
According to the report, a White House spokesperson declined to comment. In February, Trump signed an executive order threatening tariffs in response to “burdensome and restrictive” tech regulations that “inhibit the growth or intended operation” of US companies.
The EU's competition chief, Teresa Ribera, stated that the Commission is proceeding with its tech enforcement and makes decisions independently of political developments in other countries, according to the WSJ report.
However, some EU officials have hesitated to impose fines and compliance orders on US tech companies ahead of the expected announcement of reciprocal tariffs by the Trump administration on Wednesday, according to a person familiar with the Commission's thinking.
The EU's decision against Meta, and a similar case with Apple, remains on track, with an EU committee approving the plan to enforce compliance under the Digital Markets Act.
The law targets Meta’s practice of requiring users to choose between a subscription or allowing data use for targeted ads, which the EU deems illegal. The Commission aims to give Europeans more control over their data and create a level playing field for smaller companies to compete with tech giants.
To address regulators’ concerns, Meta introduced a third option last Fall called “less personalized ads.” However, in a recent compliance report, Meta argued that the Commission's demands are “beyond what is written in the law.”
The WSJ report highlighted Meta's concern that the EU may push for even less personalized ads or require the option to be more prominent, which could severely impact the company’s revenue in Europe, representing nearly a quarter of its income.
