PARIS, April 1, 2025 — Apple has been fined €150 million ($162 million) by France’s competition watchdog for abusing its market dominance through its App Tracking Transparency (ATT) feature, a privacy initiative the authority says unfairly disadvantages third-party app developers.
The Autorité de la Concurrence concluded that Apple’s ATT system — introduced in 2021 and presented as a way to enhance user privacy — is disproportionate and unfairly favors Apple’s own apps, creating an uneven playing field in the mobile advertising ecosystem.
Privacy or Market Advantage? French Regulator Says Both
ATT requires all third-party app developers to present two separate pop-ups asking users for permission to track their activity across apps and websites. In contrast, Apple’s own apps are able to request tracking permissions with just one tap, giving Apple a clear user interface advantage, according to the regulator.
The French authority determined that this design “makes the use of third-party apps excessively complex” and therefore distorts competition. It ruled that Apple’s implementation is “neither necessary for nor proportionate with” its stated goal of protecting personal data.
Small Publishers Hit Hardest
The ruling noted that while ATT impacts all publishers, it is particularly harmful to smaller app developers and publishers who lack access to first-party data or alternative targeting tools. These businesses rely heavily on targeted advertising to generate revenue — something made significantly more difficult by ATT’s limitations.
Major platforms like Facebook, Snapchat, and Twitter have previously estimated that they collectively lost around $10 billion in ad revenue following ATT’s rollout.
Apple Responds, But No Mandate for Change
In a statement, Apple defended ATT, saying:
“App Tracking Transparency gives users more control of their privacy through a required, clear, and easy-to-understand prompt about one thing: tracking. That prompt is consistent for all developers, including Apple.”
The company highlighted that ATT has received strong support from privacy advocates and regulators globally. Despite the fine, Apple is not required to alter ATT, but it must publicly display a summary of the ruling on its French website for seven days.
Bhupendra Singh Chundawat is a seasoned technology journalist with over 22 years of experience in the media industry. He specializes in covering the global technology landscape, with a deep focus on manufacturing trends and the geopolitical impact on tech companies. Currently serving as the Editor at Udaipur Kiran, his insights are shaped by decades of hands-on reporting and editorial leadership in the fast-evolving world of technology.