Big Tech companies have managed to pay off over $8.2 billion in fines accumulated for privacy and competition rule violations in just 16 days and 21 hours. Proton, a Swiss privacy firm, revealed these shocking findings. Despite receiving record fines in 2024, including penalties against Google, Apple, Amazon, Microsoft, and Meta, the consequences for these tech giants remain minimal. The fines are deemed as merely a cost of doing business for companies with revenues surpassing entire countries’ GDPs.

Among the Big Tech companies, Google faced the highest fines in 2024, totaling $2.9 billion. It could cover this amount in just over two weeks using its free cash flow. Apple and Microsoft also had substantial fines, which they could pay off in around a week or less. Meta and Amazon faced penalties as well, with Amazon having to pay just over $57 million.

Proton emphasizes the need for stronger competition legislation and enforcement. The firm launched the Tech Fines Tracker to monitor fines issued to Big Tech, shedding light on their violations globally. These penalties mainly related to privacy breaches and antitrust practices, highlighting the exploitation of personal data for profit by tech giants.

Despite facing fines, Big Tech companies continue to operate with minor disruptions to their vast cash flow, prompting calls for regulators to take more decisive actions. Proton advocates for holding Big Tech accountable and ensuring a fair and competitive digital market worldwide.