Apple is facing fresh regulatory scrutiny in Europe as Poland’s anti-monopoly watchdog, UOKiK, has officially launched an investigation into the tech giant’s privacy practices. As reported by Reuters, the investigation centers on whether Apple’s App Tracking Transparency (ATT) framework restricts competition in the mobile advertising market. This move highlights the ongoing tension between consumer privacy protections and fair market competition, a debate that has been heating up across the continent.
The core of the investigation focuses on the ATT feature, which rolled out with iOS 14.5 and requires apps to ask for user permission before tracking their activity across other companies’ apps and websites. While this feature has been a hit with privacy-conscious users, UOKiK suspects it might be creating an uneven playing field. The regulator is concerned that while third-party apps are finding it harder to collect data for personalized ads, Apple’s own advertising services might not be facing the same hurdles.
UOKiK President Tomasz Chrostny issued a strong statement regarding the probe, suggesting that the rules might not be as transparent as they seem. “We suspect that the ATT policy may have misled users about the level of privacy protection while simultaneously increasing Apple’s competitive advantage over independent publishers,” Chrostny noted. If the investigation confirms these suspicions, the consequences could be severe, with Apple potentially facing a fine of up to 10% of its annual turnover in Poland. This isn’t an isolated incident, either; similar investigations are reportedly underway in Germany, Italy, and Romania, following a massive €150 million fine imposed by French authorities earlier this year.
In a statement, the company argued that the App Tracking Transparency framework was built solely to give users control over their data, not to stifle competition. Apple also hinted at the aggressive nature of the opposition, stating that “intense pressure could force us to withdraw this feature, to the detriment of European consumers.”
Do you think Apple’s tracking prompts are fair, or do they give the company an unfair edge? Let us know in the comments below! Stay updated with the latest news on this by downloading the Appleosophy App from the App Store or by visiting our website.
