Apple fined 162 million dollars to harm the developers of applications with “complex excessive” privacy options

Autorité de la conCurrence Apple ordered the payment of 150 million euros (about 162.4 million dollars) after finding that a transparent applications system allows the company to misuse its dominance in the mobile applications market. In its decisionThe Authority says the initiative – which Apple places as a way to give users more control of their privacy – harms young publishers and “is not necessary or commensurate with” Apple’s goal of protecting personal data.

It was launched in 2021The initiative is forced to track the Apple Apple applications to show two pop -up windows requesting permission to track user data via applications and other websites. At the same time, approval to track the site with private Apple applications requires only one click-as well as the choice of site services on third-party applications.

Many companies She criticized the move at that time, saying that the condition will harm publishers by making it difficult to track users of the targeted ads, which are one of the basic methods – especially those free – earn money. Report from Financial times I found that SnapchatFacebook and X (then Twitter) lost approximately $ 10 billion in revenue as a result.

The France competition is not exposed to the possible advantages of transparency that track applications on the user privacy. But he argues that the initiative makes the use of third -party applications “excessively complicated” compared to the first -party devices of Apple.

“Although the introduction of the ATT (transparent applications) has affected all applicants, the frame was especially harmful to the smaller publishers who do not have alternative targeting capabilities, especially in the absence of adequate property data,” the agency wrote.

However, the agency is simply fined Apple for the previous use of the system – not to demand the company to change or dismantle it in the future. “While we are disappointed by today’s decision, the French competition authority did not require any specific changes on Att,” said Apple spokesman at Apple. Statement Wall Street Magazine. Apple did not respond immediately freedomRequest to comment.

Besides the fine, Apple must also display a summary of the agency’s decision on its website for seven days.