In summary
- Germany’s federal cartel office has closed a years-long investigation after Apple agreed to change how app developers use personal data for targeted advertising.
- The FCO found Apple’s App Tracking Transparency framework gave its own apps more favourable consent prompts than third-party developers, potentially breaching competition rules.
- France and Italy have already fined Apple €150 million ($244 million) and €98.6 million ($161 million) respectively over the ATT framework.
Apple will change rules governing how app developers can use personal data for targeted advertising on iPhones and iPads, Germany’s competition authority said, closing a years-long investigation.
The country’s federal cartel office, or FCO, found that Apple’s App Tracking Transparency framework gave its own apps more favourable consent prompts than those of third-party developers, potentially breaching competition rules.
Apple has four months to implement the changes after the decision is served.
Commitments run for seven years and will be monitored by a trustee.
Under the commitments, consent pop-ups for third-party apps must be redesigned to remove discouraging language and symbols, and made visually and linguistically neutral.
“While we believe the current ATT prompt provides a clear, easy-to-understand and effective way to keep users in control of their data – an opinion shared by the German data protection authorities – we have agreed to make changes to the text and formatting of the prompt at the FCO’s request,” Apple said, adding that with these commitments, it can continue to provide the tool in Europe.
The changes will apply in almost all European Union countries.
Developers of third-party apps, including Facebook parent Meta Platforms, aim for accurate user data so that targeted adverts can be displayed on devices.
These generate more revenue than broader campaigns.
• France and Italy have already fined Apple €150 million ($244 million) and €98.6 million ($161 million), respectively, over the ATT framework.
