On March 31, 2025, France’s competition regulator, Autorité de la Concurrence, imposed a fine of $162 million on Apple for violations related to its App Tracking Transparency (ATT) tool. The regulator concluded that the ATT framework, introduced by Apple, was overly complex and biased, breaching both French and EU privacy laws.
The fine stems from concerns that the consent process required by ATT was overly burdensome for users, violating the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) as well as the French Data Protection Act. These laws apply to companies operating within the EU. The complaint was related to a second consent pop-up that is required under the framework, which regulators argued complicated user interaction with apps.
In addition, the regulator determined that Apple’s implementation of ATT did not align with the neutrality principles outlined by the Commission Nationale de l’Informatique et des Libertés (CNIL), with an imbalance in how Apple’s practices were treated compared to those of third-party app publishers.
The fine also took into account the length of the infringement, which lasted from April 2021 to July 2023, and Apple’s significant market power. This ruling comes in the context of ongoing scrutiny of Apple’s practices, following recent charges by the European Commission under the Digital Markets Act earlier in March 2025.
The ATT framework, which went live in April 2021 with iOS 14.5, iPadOS 14.5, and tvOS 14.5, requires users to grant permission through a pop-up before being tracked across apps and websites. The tool has been criticized by some as a barrier to targeted advertising, a key revenue source for app developers and advertisers. Apple’s enforcement of the ATT policy was also the subject of multiple complaints before its release in 2020. Following an investigation into the case, the Autorité decided against interim measures but has continued its inquiry.
The joint 2023 statement by CNIL and the Autorité also addressed the balance between data privacy and competition law in the digital economy, highlighting the complex legal landscape surrounding digital advertising and privacy regulation.
Stay informed on supply chain report news insights at The Supply Chain Report. For more on international trade, see ADAMftd.com for free tools.
#AppleFine #PrivacyLaw #AntitrustAuthority #FranceRegulations #DataPrivacy #TechIndustry #CorporateAccountability
