Apple is likely to face an antitrust fine as the French regulator prepares to rule next month on the company’s App Tracking Transparency (ATT) tool, according to sources.
The ATT feature lets iPhone users control which apps can track their activity, impacting companies like Meta’s Facebook and online advertisers who rely on data to target ads and measure their effectiveness.
In 2023, the French regulator charged Apple, accusing it of abusing its dominant position by setting discriminatory, non-objective, and non-transparent conditions for using user data for advertising.
The regulator is expected to order Apple to stop the anti-competitive practice and impose a fine — the first official challenge against ATT. French antitrust penalties can reach up to 10% of a company’s global annual revenue.
A spokesperson for the regulator confirmed a decision is due in the spring but declined further comment.
Apple referred to its July 2023 statement, asserting it holds its advertising business to stricter privacy standards than third-party developers. It also highlighted previous support from the French regulator and privacy watchdog regarding ATT’s goals.
Earlier this month, Germany’s antitrust authority also accused Apple of abusing its market power by favoring its own app tracking tool, putting the tech giant at risk of another substantial fine.
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