French Regulator Fines Apple 150M Euros

MAR 31 2025·Updated APR 1 2025

Story

Image credit: Ming Yeung/Staff/Getty Images News via Getty Images

The Facts

France's competition regulator fined Apple 150 million euros on Monday over reported abuses related to its App Tracking Transparency (ATT) feature on iOS devices.
Wsj
EuroNews
The French Competition Authority said that the goal of ATT, which was requiring iPhone and iPad apps to ask users for permission before tracking them, was not in itself open to criticism with the fine, but that the "way in which it was implemented was neither necessary nor proportionate to Apple's stated objective of protecting personal data."
ap
Bloomberg.com
ATT was implemented by Apple in 2021 and requires apps on iPads and iPhones to get permission before collecting data to target users with personalized ads.
Reuters
EuroNews
The French case was triggered by several complaints from organizations representing online advertisers, publishers, and internet networks who accuse Apple of allegedly abusing its market power with the feature, which the anti-competition regulator says harms smaller publishers who depend largely on third-party data to fund their firms.
CNBC
Bloomberg.com
In a statement, Apple said that ATT gives users more control of their privacy "through a required, clear, and easy-to-understand prompt about one thing — tracking." The statement also noted that, while the company was "disappointed with today's decision, the French Competition Authority (FCA) has not required any specific changes to ATT."
ABC News
Reuters
Authorities in Germany, Italy, Romania, and Poland have also opened similar cases over ATT, which Apple claims is a necessary privacy safeguard. In addition to the fine, Apple will also have to publish the decision on its website for seven days.
France 24
RFI

Sources Split

LEFT

CENTER

RIGHT

ESTAB
CRIT

CENTER

PRO
ESTAB

The Spin

Narrative A

While Apple may claim that ATT is purely a privacy feature meant to protect users, the reality of the matter is that it is just one more way that Apple works to squash its competition with unfair tactics. This feature unfairly penalizes smaller apps and publishers that would be using the user data as a form of revenue and also makes their applications less enjoyable. This fine is a reasonable response to the issue, especially considering just how much money Apple brings in every year.

CNBC

Autorité de la concurrence

Narrative B

This fine was unreasonable, and Apple has every reason to be disappointed with the outcome of this case. ATT is a feature that puts the needs of users first and ensures that they have more say in their privacy and how their data is being utilized. The feature has received strong support from consumers, privacy advocates, and data protection authorities around the world, and even France's competition authority, which issued the fine, gave no guidance on changing the feature.

France 24

Wsj