France Penalizes Apple for Unfair App Tracking Transparency Policies

In a significant move, France's Competition Authority has imposed a hefty €150 million fine on Apple. The tech giant is accused of exploiting its dominant position in the iOS and iPadOS app distribution market through its App Tracking Transparency (ATT) feature from April 2021 to July 2023.

Regulator Criticizes Apple's Data Protection Measures

The authority highlighted that Apple's ATT implementation methods were "neither necessary nor proportionate" to its claimed goal of safeguarding personal data. This policy mandates user consent for third-party app data collection on Apple devices, ostensibly to enhance privacy.

Impact on Third-Party Developers

According to the regulator, Apple's approach unnecessarily complicated the user experience for third-party applications and unfairly disadvantaged smaller publishers by skewing platform neutrality.