By Gwurld4026 
€150 Million Fine Imposed on Apple for Privacy Issues
French antitrust authorities have fined Apple €150 million (approximately $162 million) over the implementation of its App Tracking Transparency (ATT) feature. Introduced in April 2021, ATT requires apps to obtain user consent before tracking activity across other apps and websites. While intended to enhance user privacy, the French Competition Authority found that Apple’s execution of ATT was “neither necessary nor proportionate” to its stated goal of protecting personal data.
Critics argue that ATT disproportionately affects smaller app developers and third-party publishers who rely on data collection for targeted advertising, thereby harming their revenue streams. The French regulator highlighted that the feature led to an excessive number of consent prompts, complicating the user experience and potentially disadvantaging third-party apps compared to Apple’s own services.
In addition to the financial penalty, Apple is required to publish the decision on its website for a week. Despite expressing disappointment with the ruling, Apple noted that the French Competition Authority did not mandate changes to the ATT feature. The company maintains that ATT provides users with greater control over their privacy and has received broad support from consumers, privacy advocates, and data protection authorities worldwide.
This fine adds to a series of regulatory challenges Apple faces in Europe, including a recent €1.8 billion penalty from the European Union over anti-competitive practices related to its App Store. Other countries, such as Germany, Italy, Romania, and Poland, have initiated similar investigations into Apple’s privacy tools.