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Big tech fines in 2020

In 2020, this directory records 7 major tech penalties totalling roughly $1.2B. The largest was Apple's $500M action.

7 penalties

Apple · 2020

Apple's up-to-$500M Batterygate class-action settlement

Paid

Apple agreed to a US class-action settlement of up to $500M, roughly $25 per affected iPhone, over the same undisclosed performance throttling.

US Court · US$500M

Apple · 2020

Apple's €1.1B French distribution fine, cut to €372M

Reduced

France's competition authority fined Apple over anticompetitive agreements with premium resellers that froze the reseller market and kept prices aligned. On appeal the fine was cut to €372M.

Autorité · France€372M$402M

Apple · 2020

Apple's $113M Batterygate settlement with 34 states

Paid

Thirty-four US states settled claims over the hidden iPhone throttling, separate from the consumer class action.

US States · US (multistate)$113M

Google · 2020

CNIL fines Google €100M over advertising cookies

Final

The CNIL fined Google for placing advertising cookies on users' devices without prior consent and without adequate information.

CNIL · France€100M$108M

Amazon · 2020

CNIL fines Amazon €35M over advertising cookies

Final

The CNIL fined Amazon for placing advertising cookies on amazon.fr visitors' devices without consent or adequate information.

CNIL · France€35M$37.8M

Apple · 2020

Apple fined €25M over undisclosed iPhone throttling

Final

France's DGCCRF fined Apple for failing to tell consumers that iOS updates could slow older iPhones to manage aging batteries, part of the wider Batterygate episode.

DGCCRF · France€25M$27M

Apple · 2020

Apple fined €10M over iPhone water-resistance claims

Final

Italy's AGCM fined Apple for misleading marketing about iPhone water resistance and for refusing warranty service on water-damaged phones.

AGCM · Italy€10M$10.8M