This might be a shocker, but even American companies have to obey the local law of the country they operate in. Big tech runs offices, has infrastructure and profits of a huge market in those countries. All of this is leverage a country can use to enforce their law.
France can just order local banks, payment networks and bailiffs to seize any money or physical assets that Facebook or Google have in France.
Or, if they wanted to go all out, could issue EU wide arrest warrants for top Google and Facebook executives, and start seizing their assets. I’m sure top exec at both companies have a bunch of holiday homes on the south coast of France they like to visit.
This might be a shocker, but even American companies have to obey the local law of the country they operate in. Big tech runs offices, has infrastructure and profits of a huge market in those countries. All of this is leverage a country can use to enforce their law.