Apple will change how app providers seek user consent for personalised advertising on iPhones and iPads after Germany’s competition authority raised concerns about its treatment of third-party apps.
German regulator, Bundeskartellamt, said on its website on Monday that Apple had offered commitments to address its concerns, which have now been made binding, bringing the competition proceeding to an end.
The authority said Apple’s App Tracking Transparency Framework required third-party app providers to obtain additional consent through an Apple-defined prompt for certain forms of cross-company data use.
The rules did not apply in the same way to Apple’s own offerings.
Bundeskartellamt President Andreas Mundt said, “It is key that personal data and privacy are protected effectively when using apps. Apple is allowed to provide for a level of protection for its users that exceeds the minimum legal requirements.
“However, if Apple sets up additional rules within its ecosystem for the use of data, these rules must, under Germany’s special abuse provision for large digital companies, not treat its own offerings better than those of its competitors.
“This is precisely where our competition concerns arose. Apple will now align the consent requests much more closely and give third-party app providers more freedom to combine the necessary requests in a sensible way.”
