Apple faces $162 million antitrust penalty in France for privacy feature
Apple has been fined 150 million euros by French antitrust regulators for abusing its dominant position in mobile app advertising through its privacy control tool. This fine is the first issued by any antitrust authority regarding Apple’s App...
TroibNews 
Apple has been fined 150 million euros by French antitrust regulators for abusing its dominant position in mobile app advertising through its privacy control tool.
This fine is the first issued by any antitrust authority regarding Apple’s App Tracking Transparency (ATT) tool and follows a substantial 1.8 billion euro antitrust penalty imposed by the European Union last year for stifling rival music streaming services available on its App Store.
Benoit Coeure, the head of the French Competition Authority, dismissed concerns that this decision might provoke retaliation from U.S. President Donald Trump, who has previously threatened to impose fines on EU nations penalizing American companies.
"We apply competition law in an apolitical manner," Coeure stated during a press conference.
He added, "But what we have heard . . . is that they intend to apply antitrust law to the big digital platforms as strictly as their predecessors. So in terms of antitrust, I don't see any controversy between the United States and Europe on how we apply the law."
The ATT tool allows users of iPhones and iPads to control which apps can track their activities. Complaints from digital advertising and mobile gaming companies indicate that this tool raises costs and complicates advertising for brands on Apple’s platforms.
"While we are disappointed with today's decision, the French Competition Authority has not required any specific changes to ATT," Apple stated.
Coeure indicated to reporters that the authority had not directed specific modifications to Apple’s app, leaving it to the company to ensure compliance with the ruling. He mentioned that the compliance process might take time, as Apple is awaiting decisions from regulators in Germany, Italy, Poland, and Romania, all of which are investigating the ATT tool as well.
The French investigation, which focused on the period from 2021 to 2023, was initiated following complaints from various associations representing online advertisers, publishers, and internet networks, who accused Apple of misusing its market influence.
"While the objective pursued by ATT is not in itself open to criticism, the way it is implemented is neither necessary nor proportionate to Apple's stated objective of protecting personal data," the regulator said in a statement.
Additionally, it noted that the privacy tool "particularly penalized smaller publishers," as they largely rely on the collection of third-party data to sustain their operations.
Organizations including Alliance Digitale, the Syndicat des Regies Internet, the Union des Entreprises de Conseil et d'Achat Média, and the Groupement des Éditeurs de Services en Ligne, who lodged complaints with the French authority, indicated that this ruling represents a significant win for advertisers.
Mark B Thomas contributed to this article for TROIB News
This fine is the first issued by any antitrust authority regarding Apple’s App Tracking Transparency (ATT) tool and follows a substantial 1.8 billion euro antitrust penalty imposed by the European Union last year for stifling rival music streaming services available on its App Store.
Benoit Coeure, the head of the French Competition Authority, dismissed concerns that this decision might provoke retaliation from U.S. President Donald Trump, who has previously threatened to impose fines on EU nations penalizing American companies.
"We apply competition law in an apolitical manner," Coeure stated during a press conference.
He added, "But what we have heard . . . is that they intend to apply antitrust law to the big digital platforms as strictly as their predecessors. So in terms of antitrust, I don't see any controversy between the United States and Europe on how we apply the law."
The ATT tool allows users of iPhones and iPads to control which apps can track their activities. Complaints from digital advertising and mobile gaming companies indicate that this tool raises costs and complicates advertising for brands on Apple’s platforms.
"While we are disappointed with today's decision, the French Competition Authority has not required any specific changes to ATT," Apple stated.
Coeure indicated to reporters that the authority had not directed specific modifications to Apple’s app, leaving it to the company to ensure compliance with the ruling. He mentioned that the compliance process might take time, as Apple is awaiting decisions from regulators in Germany, Italy, Poland, and Romania, all of which are investigating the ATT tool as well.
The French investigation, which focused on the period from 2021 to 2023, was initiated following complaints from various associations representing online advertisers, publishers, and internet networks, who accused Apple of misusing its market influence.
"While the objective pursued by ATT is not in itself open to criticism, the way it is implemented is neither necessary nor proportionate to Apple's stated objective of protecting personal data," the regulator said in a statement.
Additionally, it noted that the privacy tool "particularly penalized smaller publishers," as they largely rely on the collection of third-party data to sustain their operations.
Organizations including Alliance Digitale, the Syndicat des Regies Internet, the Union des Entreprises de Conseil et d'Achat Média, and the Groupement des Éditeurs de Services en Ligne, who lodged complaints with the French authority, indicated that this ruling represents a significant win for advertisers.
Mark B Thomas contributed to this article for TROIB News
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