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Italy’s antitrust authority fined Apple 98.6 million euros ($116 million) on Monday after determining that the operation of one of its privacy features was restricted app Store Competition.
Apple has abused its dominant position with its app tracking transparency policy, which forces apps to get permission before collecting data to target users with personalized ads, the authority said in a statement.
The company rolled out ATT from April 2021 as part of an update to the operating system that powers the iPhone and iPad. Although the feature was designed to tighten privacy, it has faced criticism big tech Rivals say it will be harder for smaller apps to survive without charging consumers.
The authority did not criticize the policy, but the fact that Apple’s system requires third-party app makers to ask users for consent twice to comply with Europe’s strict privacy rules.
“As a result, such dual consent requirement is detrimental to developers whose business model depends on the sale of advertising space, as well as to advertisers and ad mediation platforms,” the authority said.
The authority said that the required dual consent was “disproportionate” to the stated goal of data protection.
The finding is similar to that of the French antitrust watchdog, which fined Apple 150 million euros ($162 million) over the consent feature in March.
Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment. In 2023, when Italy’s antitrust authority announced its investigation, the Cupertino, California-based company defended its structure and said it would engage with the Italian antitrust authority to address its questions.