Apple fined over $162 million for abusing privacy controls

The fine – the first time an antitrust regulator has targeted Apple’s App Tracking Transparency (ATT) tool – comes a year after the European Union (EU) fined the US company a whopping $1.94 billion for blocking rival music streaming services on its App Store.

France's antitrust regulator has fined Apple more than $162 million for abusing its dominant position in mobile app advertising on devices through privacy controls.

The head of France's competition authority has dismissed concerns that the decision could lead to retaliation from US President Donald Trump, who has threatened to impose fines on EU countries for penalising US companies.

"We apply competition law without political bias," Benoit Coeure said at a press conference.

“But what we’ve heard… is that the US intends to apply antitrust laws to large digital platforms as rigorously as their predecessors. So, on the antitrust front, I don’t see any conflict between the US and Europe in how we enforce the law in this case,” Coeure added.

The ATT tool lets iPhone and iPad users decide which apps are allowed to track their activity. Digital advertising and mobile gaming companies have complained that the tool makes it more expensive and difficult for brands to advertise on Apple's platform.

“While we are disappointed with today’s decision, the French Competition Authority does not require any specific changes to ATT,” Apple said in a statement.

Coeure said the regulator did not specify how Apple must change its app, leaving it up to the company to ensure compliance. Compliance could take some time, he added, as Apple awaits rulings from regulators in Germany, Italy, Poland and Romania, which are also investigating the ATT tool.

The French case, which runs from 2021 to 2023, stems from a complaint by several associations representing online advertisers, publishers and internet networks, accusing Apple of abusing its market power.

“While ATT’s goals are not objectionable, its implementation is neither necessary nor commensurate with Apple’s stated goal of protecting personal data,” the regulator said in a statement.

They added that this privacy tool is “particularly detrimental to small publishers” because they rely heavily on third-party data collection to sustain their businesses.

The Digitale Alliance, the Society of Internet Advertisers (SRI), the Federation of Media Buying and Consulting Companies (Udecam) and the Group of Online Services Publishers - which appealed to the French regulator - said the decision was an important victory for advertisers.

Source: https://www.baogiaothong.vn/lam-dung-cong-cu-kiem-soat-rieng-tu-apple-bi-phat-hon-162-trieu-usd-192250401012242989.htm