US EditionApple could withdraw tracking transparency function in Europe
European regulators question Apple's App Tracking Transparency for potential unfair competition; introduction cut tracking rates by 54.7% in the U.S., Apple warns of consumer impact.
- On Wednesday, Apple warned it may disable its App Tracking Transparency in parts of Europe, citing lobbying efforts and regulatory pressure, including 'Intense lobbying efforts in Germany, Italy and other countries in Europe may force us to withdraw this feature to the detriment of European consumers,' Apple said.
- The Federal Cartel Office, Germany concluded in February that ATT's design could breach rules, flagging that its requirements applied to other app providers but not to Apple's own data practices.
- ATT's introduction four years ago showed a 54.7% dip in cross‑app tracking rates in the United States, and ad industry giant Meta sought loopholes after targeted ad effectiveness declined.
- Apple argues removing ATT would damage European consumers' privacy while benefiting advertisers and ad companies, stressing its own apps do not collect data from other providers.
- With timing uncertain, it is unclear when the Federal Cartel Office will announce its final assessment, while ATT remains under investigation by competition authorities in Europe.
14 Articles
14 Articles
Apple Threatens to Withdraw App Tracking Transparency in Europe – Pixel Envy
Andrej Sokolow, Deutsche Presse Agentur: Apple could switch off a function that prevents users’ apps from tracking their behaviour across various services and websites for advertising purposes in Germany and other European countries. The iPhone manufacturer on Wednesday complained that it has experienced constant headwinds from the tracking industry. “Intense lobbying efforts in Germany, Italy and other countries in Europe may force us to withd…
Apple threatens to shut down its privacy feature "App Tracking Transparency" in Europe. However, there is a complicated power struggle behind the "Protection of Users": between data protection, competition and the question of who the data on the iPhone really goes to. (Read more)
Apple May Disable App Tracking in EU Over DMA Pressures
In a move that underscores the escalating tensions between tech giants and European regulators, Apple has issued a stark warning: it may be compelled to disable its App Tracking Transparency (ATT) feature across parts of Europe. Introduced in 2021 with iOS 14.5, ATT requires apps to obtain explicit user consent before tracking their activity across other apps and websites for advertising purposes. This privacy safeguard has been hailed as a bulw…
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