1 hr ago
Apple Faces $2.7 Billion UK Lawsuit Over App Tracking Rules
Apple is being sued in the United Kingdom for about $2.7 billion.
The case concerns Apple’s App Tracking Transparency feature.
This feature asks users whether apps may follow their activity across different apps and websites.
Apple says the tool gives people more control over their information.
The lawyers bringing the case say Apple makes outside developers follow stricter rules than Apple’s own services.
They argue this helps Apple’s advertising business compete unfairly.
A former British competition official said the rules seriously harmed businesses that rely on Apple.
Competition authorities in several European countries have also examined the policy.
Apple faces a €2 billion ($2.7 billion) lawsuit filed in London on behalf of app developers.
The lawsuit alleges Apple’s App Tracking Transparency rules unfairly restrict third-party developers.
Lawyers argue Apple applies stricter tracking requirements to third parties than to its own services.
Apple says the feature lets users control whether apps can track activity across companies’ apps and websites.
Regulators in Germany, France, Italy, Poland and elsewhere have scrutinized Apple’s tracking framework.
- Who
- Apple and app developers represented by lawyers, with Ann Pope leading the lawsuit.
- What
- A €2 billion ($2.7 billion) legal challenge alleging Apple’s App Tracking Transparency rules unfairly disadvantage third-party developers.
- Where
- The case was filed at the Competition Appeal Tribunal in London.
- When
- The lawsuit was filed on a Thursday; Apple launched App Tracking Transparency in 2021.
- Why
- The claimants say Apple imposes stricter tracking requirements on third-party developers than on its own services, giving its advertising ecosystem an advantage.
Claimants and Regulators
Apple
Effect on third-party developers
Claimants and Regulators
The lawyers bringing the lawsuit say Apple’s rules impose stricter requirements on third-party developers and cause significant harm to businesses dependent on Apple as a gatekeeper.
Apple
Apple says the feature was introduced so users can decide whether to allow apps to track their activity across companies’ apps and websites.
Competitive impact
Claimants and Regulators
The claimants argue that Apple’s own advertising ecosystem receives competitive leverage because Apple’s services are not subject to the same restrictions as third-party developers.
Apple
Apple has defended the policy as a user-permission feature; the articles do not state Apple’s specific response to the competitive-leverage allegation.
Key facts
- Claim value
- €2 billion, or approximately $2.7 billion
- Defendant
- Apple
- Case location
- Competition Appeal Tribunal, London
- Policy involved
- App Tracking Transparency
- Policy launched
- 2021
- Claimants
- App developers represented by lawyers
- Regulatory scrutiny
- Investigations or probes have occurred in Germany, France, Italy, Poland and elsewhere
Quotes
Ann Pope
Former senior official with Britain’s Competition and Markets Authority and leader of the lawsuit
“resulted in very significant harm to businesses that depend on Apple as a gatekeeper.”
timesnownews.com
A former senior official of Britain’s Competition and Markets Authority
Former senior official of the UK competition regulator commenting on the impact of Apple’s policy
“resulted in very significant harm to businesses that depend on Apple as a gatekeeper.”
firstpost.com
Sources
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