The Bundeskartellamt antitrust group in Germany has issued its “preliminary legal assessment” that alleges Apple’s App Tracking Transparency feature only applying to third-party apps and not Apple violates antitrust policy.
Apple introduced the App Tracking Transparency Framework for third-party apps with its updates iOS 14.5, iPadOS 14.5 and tvOS 14.5 in April 2021. ATT allows you to choose whether an app can track your activity across other companies’ apps and websites for the purposes of advertising or sharing with data brokers. Starting with iOS 14.5, iPadOS 14.5, and tvOS 14.5, apps must ask for permission before tracking your activity across other companies’ apps and websites.
Tracking occurs when information that identifies you or your device collected from an app is linked with information that identifies you or your device collected on apps, websites and other locations owned by third parties for the purposes of targeted advertising or advertising measurement, or when the information collected is shared with data brokers.
The Bundeskartellamt says “Apple’s rules have raised the initial suspicion of self-preferencing and/or impediment of other companies.” The agency is further examining the tech giant’s actions and says a ruling ill be made on March 18.
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