Germany’s competition regulator says Apple must make its app-tracking consent prompts more neutral and give third-party developers greater flexibility.
WEB DESK: Apple will change the way app developers obtain consent for using personal data for targeted advertising on iPhones and iPads after Germany’s competition regulator raised concerns over the company’s App Tracking Transparency (ATT) framework.
Germany’s Federal Cartel Office said on Monday that it had concluded a years-long investigation into Apple’s app-tracking rules after determining that Apple’s own apps received more favourable consent prompts than those presented by third-party developers.
Apple to redesign consent prompts
Under the commitments agreed with the German regulator, consent pop-ups displayed by third-party apps will have to be redesigned.
The new prompts must remove language and symbols that could discourage users from granting permission and must be presented in a more visually and linguistically neutral manner.
The changes are aimed at ensuring that Apple’s own applications and third-party apps are treated more equally when users are asked to make decisions about data tracking.
Third-party developers get greater flexibility
The agreement will also give third-party app publishers greater flexibility to combine Apple’s required tracking-consent request with their own data-protection consent prompts.
This could affect developers that rely on user data for personalised or targeted advertising, where more detailed information can help advertisers deliver more relevant ads.
Apple has four months to implement the changes after the regulator’s decision is formally served. The commitments will remain in place for seven years and will be monitored by an independent trustee.
Changes expected across most of the EU
Apple said the changes would apply in almost all European Union countries and confirmed that it had already adapted the wording and design of its consent prompts at the regulator’s request.
The decision follows growing scrutiny of major technology companies by European competition authorities over how they operate their digital ecosystems.
France and Italy have previously fined Apple €150 million and €98.6 million, respectively, over issues involving the App Tracking Transparency framework.
What the changes mean for iPhone and iPad users
For users, the most visible change is likely to be the way apps ask for permission to use data for tracking and targeted advertising.
The German regulator’s decision does not eliminate Apple’s App Tracking Transparency system. Instead, it requires changes to the way consent requests are presented and gives third-party developers more flexibility in handling consent procedures.
