Apple’s App Tracking Privacy Framework could fall into German Antitrust Rules
German Antitrust Watchdog is investigating Apple’s app privacy framework 2022. On Thursday, releasing preliminary findings from the probe, Bundeskartellamt (FCO) suspects that iPhone manufacturers are not treating third-party app developers equally as much as the law requires. I’ve said that.
Anti-Trust Watchdog said it believes Apple’s actions could be self-rated. Apple has since been banned from preferring its own services and products in Germany April 2023when it becomes subject to special abuse control aimed at regulating the market power of big technology.
Under the broader Pan-EU digital market law (DMA), Apple also bans self-assessment on several other core platform services, such as iOS and the App Store.
App privacy issues currently being investigated are related to Apple’s App Tracking Transparency Framework (attf), allowing iOS users to instruct third-party apps not to track their use of ad targeting.
The problem is the difference in how Apple treats tracking permissions requested by third parties compared to the unique tracking of IOS users in the case of FCOs.
“The strict requirements under
“The consent dialogue between Apple’s own app and third-party apps is significantly different,” he continues. “Current designs, particularly the language of interactions in Apple’s own apps, are more likely to agree than those in the ATTF dialogue of third-party apps.”
The FCO says three aspects of the framework raise competitive concerns.
First, Apple defines tracking “in a way that covers data processing for advertising purposes between companies,” but according to FCO, the same “strict” ATTF rules are “user data across the ecosystem.” It does not cover Apple’s own practice of combining it. App Store, Apple ID, and Connected Devices – and use them for advertising purposes.
Second, it highlights how third-party apps display up to four consecutive consent conversations under ATTF, while Apple apps show up to two. Furthermore, in the FCO evaluation, pop-ups around Apple’s apps do not refer to “Apple’s processing of user data (called first-party tracking) across the service (known as first-party tracking).”
Finally, Watchdog believes that the design of tracking consent dialogues on iOS is treated unevenly. According to FCO, Apple’s interactions are designed to encourage users to process data, while interactions for third-party apps lead users to reject them.
FCO President Andreas Mundt commented in a statement. “Apple runs a comprehensive digital ecosystem, which provides (…) Apple with extensive access to ad-related user data. Personalized ads offer free apps It’s also very commercially important for other companies that want to do so. Some of it competes with Apple’s own services. However, ATTF makes it much more difficult for competing app publishers to access users. Data related to advertising.”
Apple spokesman Tom Parker emailed a statement defending how the company works. The prompt is consistent for all developers, including Apple, and strongly supports this feature from consumers, privacy advocates and data protection authorities around the world,” Apple wrote.
“The user firmly believes that when data is shared, they need to control with whom, be constructively involved with federal cartel offices, and ensure that users continue to have transparency and control over their data. “We’re doing that,” the company said.
Tech giants now have the opportunity to respond to FCO survey results.
Developers complain that Apple has double standards in relation to its own apps and services and third parties. The company’s third party treatment is also under review by DMA: issued by the European Commission One preliminary violation discovered last summer How Apple operates the App Store.
It is worth noting that Apple is suing for the designation of an FCO, and is trying to overturn the ability of watchdogs to wield special abusers. The outcome of that appeal is pending a court ruling by March 18, 2025.
Meanwhile, Powers is applied to Apple, and FCO’s actions are A handful of other Designated high-tech giants It addresses major competitive interventions in multiple aspects of Europe.