In a statement released on Monday, the regulator said Apple violated European competition rules through practices linked to its App Store, where it holds what the watchdog described as “absolute dominance” over third-party developers.
The investigation, which began in May 2023, focused on Apple’s App Tracking Transparency (ATT) framework, introduced in April 2021. According to AGCM, Apple imposed a more restrictive privacy policy on third-party app developers, requiring them to obtain additional user consent for data collection and data linking for advertising purposes.
The authority said developers were forced to use a consent screen designed by Apple, while also having to duplicate consent requests for the same purpose, placing them at a disadvantage compared to Apple’s own services.
“The terms of the ATT policy are imposed unilaterally, are detrimental to the interests of Apple’s business partners, and are not proportionate to achieving the objective of privacy, as claimed by the company,” the regulator said, adding that the process did not comply with privacy regulations.
AGCM noted that the investigation was complex and conducted in coordination with the European Commission and other international antitrust authorities.
Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the ruling.