Apple Said to Face French Antitrust Fine for Privacy Control Tool

The feature allows iPhone users to decide which apps can track user activity.

By Reuters | Updated: 28 February 2025 20:03 IST

Apple Said to Face French Antitrust Fine for Privacy Control Tool

Photo Credit: Reuters

French antitrust fines can be as much as 10 percent of a company's global annual revenue.

Highlights

France may order Apple to halt anti-competitive practice
Apple may also face a fine in France
Apple holds its advertising business to a higher standard of privacy

Apple is facing a likely antitrust fine as the French regulator prepares to rule next month on the company's privacy control tool, two people with direct knowledge of the matter said.

Called App Tracking Transparency (ATT), the feature allows iPhone users to decide which apps can track user activity, helping companies like Meta Platforms' Facebook and online advertisers tailor ads to users and measure their impact.

Digital advertising and mobile gaming companies including Facebook say it has made it more expensive and difficult for brands to advertise on Apple's platforms.

Why Apple Removed MagSafe Support From the iPhone 16e

The French regulator charged Apple in 2023, saying it was concerned that the company might "abuse its dominant position by implementing discriminatory, non-objective and non-transparent conditions for the use of user data for advertising purposes".

It is expected to issue its decision next month ordering Apple to halt its anti-competitive practice and will likely impose a fine too, the people said, making it the first regulatory veto against the ATT.

French antitrust fines can be as much as 10 percent of a company's global annual revenue.

Apple Plans $500 Billion in US Investment, 20,000 Research Jobs by 2029

"The decision is expected in the spring. But we can't comment any further," the regulator said.

Apple referred to a July 2023 statement in which it said it holds its advertising business to a higher standard of privacy than it requires of any other developer and that it had previously received strong support from the French regulator and privacy watchdog on the goal of the ATT.

The German antitrust authority earlier this month charged Apple with abusing its market power through its app tracking tool and giving itself preferential treatment, putting the company at risk of a hefty fine.

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

Comments

For the latest tech news and reviews, follow Gadgets 360 on X, Facebook, WhatsApp, Threads and Google News. For the latest videos on gadgets and tech, subscribe to our YouTube channel. If you want to know everything about top influencers, follow our in-house Who'sThat360 on Instagram and YouTube.