Apple has been slapped with a 150 million Euro ($162 million) fine by French antitrust regulators over the implementation of a privacy feature.
Apple has been slapped with a €150 million ($162 million) fine by French antitrust regulators (Autorité de la concurrence) over the implementation of a privacy feature that the regulators found to cause economic damage to smaller publishers and advertisers, while giving an unfair advantage to Apple over its competitors.
According to the anti-trust body, the crux of the issue concerns an infringement between 26 April 2021 and 25 July 2023 involving the App Tracking Transparency (“ATT”) that Apple introduced in 2021. The ATT is a privacy tool that makes it possible for users of Apple devices (iPhones and iPads) to either accept or deny access to third-party applications that may want to access their data. If consent is granted, the app proceeds to use such data for targeted advertising.
The regulatory watchdog believes that while the idea behind the feature was commendable, as it ensures that users exercise control over their data, the implementation is questionable.
