The changes bring an end to a long-running probe into Apple’s App Tracking Transparency Framework (ATTF), which regulators argued treated Apple’s own services differently from third-party app developers.
ATTF requires third-party app providers to obtain user permission before tracking data across apps and websites for advertising purposes. However, regulators said Apple’s own advertising services operated under different consent mechanisms.
Bundeskartellamt President Andreas Mundt said competition concerns arose because Apple’s consent requests appeared to favour the company’s own services. “It is key that personal data and privacy are protected effectively when using apps,” Mundt said.
“However, if Apple sets up additional rules within its ecosystem for the use of data, these rules must not treat its own offerings better than those of its competitors.”
The investigation found differences in wording, design and user options between the consent requests used by Apple and those imposed on third-party developers. According to the regulator, Apple’s consent prompts had the potential to encourage users to accept personalised advertising, while the prompts required for competing apps could discourage consent.
The Bundeskartellamt also found that some third-party developers were required to request user consent multiple times, even when valid consent had already been obtained under European data protection laws.
Under commitments now made legally binding, Apple will redesign its consent prompts to make them more neutral in wording, appearance and presentation.
The company will also remove symbols and language that regulators believed could discourage users from granting consent to third-party apps.
In addition, app developers and content providers will receive greater flexibility to explain why personalised advertising is important to their services and business models.
The agreement will also simplify the consent process by allowing developers to combine Apple’s tracking permission requests with data protection consent requirements, making the experience clearer for users.
Mundt stressed that the objective was not to increase advertising consent rates. “It is expressly not our aim to help achieve the highest possible levels of consent to personalised advertising,” Mundt said.
“We want to ensure that users can make a free and informed decision.”
Apple maintained throughout the investigation that ATTF was designed to strengthen user privacy and complied with competition laws. Nevertheless, the company offered commitments to address regulatory concerns.
The case forms part of broader European scrutiny of major technology platforms. Competition authorities in France and Italy have previously imposed fines of about $174 million and $114 million respectively over aspects of Apple’s tracking transparency framework.
Apple has four months to implement the changes. The commitments will remain in force for seven years and compliance will be monitored by an independent trustee.
–ChannelAfrica–
