{"id":52211,"date":"2025-02-27T19:59:52","date_gmt":"2025-02-27T18:59:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.apfelpatient.de\/?p=52211"},"modified":"2025-02-27T20:11:55","modified_gmt":"2025-02-27T19:11:55","slug":"apple-faces-fine-in-france-att-will-soon-be-deactivated","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.apfelpatient.de\/en\/news\/apple-droht-in-frankreich-strafe-wird-att-bald-deaktiviert","title":{"rendered":"Apple faces fine in France \u2013 Will ATT be deactivated soon?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Apple is facing a significant regulatory challenge in France. The French competition authority has been investigating the iPhone's App Tracking Transparency (ATT) feature for nearly two years. This feature gives users the ability to decide for themselves whether apps can track their behavior for advertising purposes. While privacy organizations see ATT as progress, critics accuse Apple of distorting competition with it. A new report from Reuters suggests that the investigation will soon be concluded - and the outcome could be anything but positive for Apple. If the prediction comes true, the company may have to disable ATT in France and face a hefty fine.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you use an iPhone, you've probably seen the "Ask App Not to Track" pop-ups that give you the choice of whether you want to allow tracking or not. This is exactly the function that is now being put to the test in France. The French authorities are investigating whether Apple is strengthening its own market position through ATT and unfairly influencing competition. Similar investigations are underway in Germany and Italy, but France seems to be the first country to take action. The question now is whether ATT is really just a data protection measure or whether Apple is using it to control digital advertising and user data in its own favor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why is France investigating app tracking transparency?<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The French competition authority suspects that Apple is discriminating against third-party apps through ATT, while at the same time possibly giving preferential treatment to its own apps. While all apps from other developers must explicitly ask for permission to track users, Apple may have created an exception for itself. The main problem from the authorities' point of view is not that ATT exists, but how Apple has implemented the function. The French antitrust watchdogs argue that Apple is expanding its control over the advertising industry through this regulation, while competitors such as Meta or smaller developers are significantly restricted. Reuters according to<\/a> The authority will soon order Apple to stop this practice. In addition, a heavy fine of up to 10% of the company's annual worldwide turnover could be imposed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What does this mean for Apple and its users?<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

If the authorities actually ban ATT in France or force Apple to adapt the function, this would have far-reaching consequences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n