Apple Faces $500 Million Fine in Antitrust Probe over Music Streaming Practices

Unique Points

• Apple will face a European Union fine close to €500 million ($539 million) over the regulator޷s investigation into allegations it silenced music-streaming rivals, including Spotify Technology SA, on its platforms.
• The penalty will be set after the EU watchdog found that Apple fell foul of competition rules in thwarting rival music services from informing users that cheaper alternatives existed outside of its App Store.
• Apple has also faced pressure from individual EU member states. It was fined €1.1 billion in France in 2020 for anti-competitive behavior, although the total was later reduced to €372 million after an appeal.

Accuracy

• Apple hindered third-party music services on its devices and favored its own Apple Music service.
• The European Commission found that Apple failed to inform iPhone users about cheaper, alternative music-streaming apps outside its App Store.

Deception (50%)

• The article claims that Apple will face a fine of €500 million, but this is not accurate. According to sources familiar with the matter, the penalty will be set after the EU watchdog found that Apple fell foul of competition rules in thwarting rival music services from informing users that cheaper alternatives existed outside of its App Store.
• The article states that Spotify was forced to ramp up their monthly subscriptions due to Apple's alleged stranglehold on how the App Store operates. However, this is not accurate as there are other ways for customers to access music streaming services.

Fallacies (80%)

• The EU watchdog found that Apple fell foul of competition rules in thwarting rival music services from informing users that cheaper alternatives existed outside of its App Store, according to people familiar with the matter.

Bias (80%)

• Apple, when contacted for comment, referred to a previous statement, which said that the “App Store has helped Spotify become the top music streaming service across Europe.”
• The EU watchdog found that it fell foul of competition rules in thwarting rival music services from informing users that cheaper alternatives existed outside of its App Store

Site Conflicts Of Interest (50%)

• Samuel Stolton works for Yahoo Finance, a company that competes with Spotify Technology SA in the music streaming service industry.

Author Conflicts Of Interest (50%)

Unique Points

• Apple will reportedly face a $539 million fine over Spotify's antitrust complaint
• Spotify filed the complaint in 2019, alleging that Apple policies prevent iPhone apps from informing users about cheaper alternatives to Apple’s music service
• The European Commission is investigating whether Apple blocked music streamers from telling users about cheaper ways to subscribe outside its app store.
• Apple prevented Spotify and other companies from informing customers on their phones that they could avoid the commission simply by signing up on Spotify's website.

Accuracy

• Apple hindered third-party music services on its devices and favored its own Apple Music service
• The European Commission found that Apple failed to inform iPhone users about cheaper, alternative music-streaming apps outside its App Store
• Spotify filed a formal complaint to regulators in 2019

Deception (30%)

• The author states that 'A Sunday morning report from the Financial Times says the €500 million (about $539 million USD) fine comes after regulators investigated a Spotify complaint' without providing any context or evidence to support this claim. This is an example of sensationalism.
• The author misrepresents the EU investigation as an opposition to Apple's refusal to let developers link out to their own subscription sign-ups within their apps when in fact it was a policy that Apple changed following regulatory pressure in Japan. This is an example of deceptive reporting.

Fallacies (85%)

• The author uses an appeal to authority by stating that the EU whittled its objections down to oppose Apple's refusal to let developers even link out to their own subscription sign-ups within their apps. This statement implies that the EU is a reliable source of information, but it does not provide any evidence or reasoning for this claim.
• The author uses inflammatory rhetoric by stating that $539 million may sound like a lot, but a much bigger fine was on the table when the EU updated its objections last year. This statement is meant to create fear and anxiety in readers without providing any context or evidence for this claim.

Bias (85%)

• Spotify complained in 2019 that Apple’s policies muted competition against Apple Music, kicking off an EU investigation the next year.
• The issue comes down to Apple’s efforts to keep apps corraled inside its App Store payments system.

Site Conflicts Of Interest (50%)

Author Conflicts Of Interest (50%)

Unique Points

• Apple is reportedly facing a ✓50 million fine from the EU over restrictions on access to music streaming services. ✓ The European Commission is investigating whether Apple blocked music streamers from telling users about cheaper ways to subscribe outside its app store where it takes a significant cut of revenues.
• Apple prevented Spotify and other companies from informing customers on their phones that they could avoid the commission simply by signing up on Spotify✙s website. ✓ According to the Financial Times, Brussels plans to ban the practice of blocking music services from advertising cheaper subscriptions outside the platform.
• Apple did not provide fresh comment, ✓ but pointed to a previous statement saying it would respond to the commission's concerns “while promoting competition and choice for European consumers”.

Accuracy

• Apple is reportedly facing a €500m fine from the EU over restrictions on access to music streaming services.
• ✓ Apple blocked music streamers from telling users about cheaper ways to subscribe outside its app store where it takes a significant cut of revenues. ✓ The European Commission is investigating whether Apple blocked music streamers from telling users about cheaper ways to subscribe outside its app store.
• ✓ Brussels plans to ban the practice of blocking music services from advertising cheaper subscriptions outside the platform. ✓ Apple has never faced a competition fine from the European Commission, although it received a €1.1bn fine from France in 2020 for anti-competitive agreements with two wholesalers.
• ✓ Google is appealing against fines of more than €8bn levied by the EU in three separate competition investigations. ✓ Apple defeated a lawsuit by the Fortnite developer Epic Games that claimed that the app store was an illegal monopoly, but Epic in December won a similar cases against Google.

Deception (50%)

• Apple reportedly faces a fine of €50 million from the EU over restrictions on access to music streaming services.

Fallacies (85%)

• The European Commission is investigating whether Apple blocked music streamers from telling users about cheaper ways to subscribe outside its app store where it takes a significant cut of revenues.

Bias (85%)

• Apple defeated a lawsuit by the Fortnite developer Epic Games that claimed that the app store was an illegal monopoly, but Epic in December won a similar cases against Google
• Apple has never faced a competition fine from the European Commission, although it received a €1.1bn fine from France in 2020 for anti-competitive agreements with two wholesalers.
• Apple limits choice and competition in its app store by charging a 30% fee on all purchases
• Google is appealing against fines of more than €8bn levied by the EU in three separate competition investigations
• However, Spotify argues that Apple’s own music streaming service, Apple Music, does not face the same extra cost, giving it an advantage and making the fees anti-competitive.
• The European Commission is investigating whether Apple blocked music streamers from telling users about cheaper ways to subscribe outside its app store where it takes a significant cut of revenues
• The European Commission will say Apple’s actions are illegal and go against the bloc’s rules that enforce competition in the single market

Site Conflicts Of Interest (50%)

Author Conflicts Of Interest (50%)

Unique Points

• Apple hindered third-party music services on its devices and favored its own Apple Music service
• The findings of the investigation will lead to the Commission accusing Apple of abusing its powerful position and banning its 'unfair trading conditions' regarding its music service subscription policies.
• Smaller internet firms and other tech businesses have long complained of being unfairly limited by these tech giant's business practices. In Apple's case, the Digital Markets Act will require it to allow third-party developers to distribute apps outside the iOS Store and for those apps to bill their customers directly.

Accuracy

• Apple hindered third-party music services on its devices and favored its own Apple Music service.

Deception (50%)

• The article reports that the EU has set a fine of 500 million euros for Apple without providing any evidence or details about these breaches. This creates an impression that the fine is justified and based on solid facts when in reality there may not be enough evidence to support such a large penalty.
• The source claims that Apple has been accused of abusing its powerful position by restricting apps from informing users about cheaper subscription alternatives outside of its native App Store but this is not entirely accurate as the investigation focused on whether Apple had restricted apps from doing so and thus violated EU competition laws.

Fallacies (85%)

• The European Commission is set to fine Apple about 500 million euros
• Spotify was either hindered from billing users directly within its app or used Apple's App Store billing service which takes a cut of up to 30%.

Bias (85%)

• In most regions, Apple's App Store rules prohibit companies such as Spotify from billing users for subscriptions directly within the app, making them instead use Apple's App Store billing service, which takes a cut of up to 30%.
• The European Commission is set to fine Apple about 500 million euros over alleged breaches of EU competition law
• The findings of the investigation will lead to the Commission accusing Apple of abusing its powerful position and banning its 'unfair trading conditions' regarding its music service subscription policies.

Site Conflicts Of Interest (50%)

Author Conflicts Of Interest (50%)

Unique Points

• Apple hindered third-party music services on its devices and favored its own Apple Music service
• Spotify filed a formal complaint to regulators in 2019. In most regions, Apple's App Store rules prohibit companies such as Spotify from billing users for subscriptions directly within the app.
• Apple blocked music streamers from telling customers on their phones that they could avoid the commission simply by signing up on Spotify's website
• The European Commission is investigating whether Apple blocked music streamers from telling users about cheaper ways to subscribe outside its app store.

Accuracy

• The European Commission is set to fine Apple about 500 million euros ($539 million) over alleged breaches of EU competition law.

Deception (80%)

• The article is deceptive because it does not disclose any sources for its claims or quotes. The reader has no idea where the information about the fine amount, the investigation status, or Apple's statement comes from. This makes it easier for the author to manipulate and mislead readers without being held accountable.
• The article is deceptive because it implies that Apple has not done anything wrong and that the antitrust fine is unjustified. The author uses phrases like 'reportedly set to slap', 'unfairly hindered', and 'no merit' to convey a negative tone towards Apple and its actions, without providing any evidence or quotes from reliable sources.
• The article is deceptive because it omits important details that could counterbalance the accusations against Apple, such as the fact that Spotify filed a complaint in 2019 after failing to reach an agreement with Apple over its App Store fees and rules. By doing so, the author leaves out crucial information that could affect how readers perceive the situation.

Fallacies (85%)

• European regulators are preparing to impose a roughly $50 million euro ($539 million) fine against Apple AAPL, -0.84%, after finding that it created an anticompetitive environment by failing to inform iPhone users that cheaper, alternative music-streaming apps were available outside its App Store.
• The investigation was sparked by a complaint that Spotify SA SPOT, +0.30% filed in 2019.

Bias (100%)

None Found At Time Of Publication

Site Conflicts Of Interest (50%)

Author Conflicts Of Interest (50%)