The French competition authority has fined Apple €150 million over its App Tracking Transparency (ATT) tool, marking the first such penalty by any antitrust regulator against the tech giant. The fine was imposed without requiring Apple to alter the tool. ATT allows iPhone and iPad users to control which apps can track their activity but has faced criticism from advertisers and rivals reliant on online advertising.
The French case originated from complaints by several associations representing online advertisers, publishers, and internet networks, accusing Apple of abusing its market power. The regulator stated that while the objective of ATT is not inherently objectionable, its implementation is neither necessary nor proportionate to Apple’s stated aim of protecting personal data. The tool reportedly penalizes smaller publishers who depend heavily on third-party data collection for funding.
In addition to the fine, the French watchdog ordered Apple to publish the decision on its website for seven days. This penalty is significantly smaller than the €1.8 billion fine levied by the EU last year for hindering music streaming rivals via App Store restrictions, following a complaint from Spotify.
Apple expressed disappointment with the fine but noted that the regulator did not mandate specific changes to its privacy control tool. ATT is also under scrutiny by the German antitrust agency, which charged Apple with self-preferencing in February.
— new from Reuters