Apple is facing an antitrust fine as the French regulator prepares to rule next month on the company’s privacy control tool, reports Reuters, quoting two unnamed “people with direct knowledge of the matter.”
The privacy control tool in question is App Tracking Transparency (ATT). 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.
According to Reuters, Apple may be forced to disable ATT for French uses. The tech giant may also be fined.
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