Data protection and competition: Apple changes anti-tracking query in the EU
In February 2025, the Federal Cartel Office came to the preliminary assessment that the design of the function could violate abuse regulations
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Summary
In February 2025, the Federal Cartel Office came to the preliminary assessment that the design of the function could violate abuse regulations. In Poland, however, there is a different timetable and they continue to work with the competition authority there. The Italian authority AGM also found a competition violation in the app tracking query and hit Apple last December with a penalty of 98.6 million euros.
Furthermore, Now, the Federal Cartel Office said that Apple the query window for own offers and apps of other providers significantly more closely. So far, it was on the top of the two digital buttons in the query "reject app tracking" and on the bottom "Allow". The new version of the query is only displayed to users in the European Union.
In addition, Cartel guards had doubts Last autumn, the company had warned that it could be forced to abandon the app tracking request on iPhones in Germany and other European countries due to competition investigations. Apple said it had worked with the Federal Cartel Office, the other European competition authorities and the EU Commission to develop changes that jointly resolved the various procedures.
Cross-referenced from 3 sources.
Factual coreconfirmed by several independent voices
In February 2025, the Federal Cartel Office came to the preliminary assessment that the design of the function could violate abuse regulations.
reliability low1/2 sourcesIn Poland, however, there is a different timetable and they continue to work with the competition authority there.
reliability low1/2 sourcesThe Italian authority AGM also found a competition violation in the app tracking query and hit Apple last December with a penalty of 98.6 million euros.
reliability low1/2 sourcesNow, the Federal Cartel Office said that Apple the query window for own offers and apps of other providers significantly more closely.
reliability low1/2 sourcesSo far, it was on the top of the two digital buttons in the query "reject app tracking" and on the bottom "Allow".
reliability low1/2 sourcesThe new version of the query is only displayed to users in the European Union.
reliability low1/2 sourcesCartel guards had doubts Last autumn, the company had warned that it could be forced to abandon the app tracking request on iPhones in Germany and other European countries due to competition investigations.
reliability low1/2 sourcesApple said it had worked with the Federal Cartel Office, the other European competition authorities and the EU Commission to develop changes that jointly resolved the various procedures.
reliability low1/2 sources
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