Regulatory scrutiny could force Apple to disable this major privacy feature
The Cupertino tech giant is warning that regulatory pressure and lobbying from the advertising industry could force it to turn off App Tracking Transparency. This is an excellent privacy-centered feature that allows you to control app tracking for advertising purposes.
Basically, thanks to ATT, you have the option to control whether a given app can track you across the internet and services. Of course, the majority of people take advantage of this feature and choose to “ask app not to track” when the prompt appears.
App Tracking Transparency. | Image Credit – Apple
Apple sent a statement seen by DPA International that explains that lobbying efforts in Germany, Italy, and other countries in Europe may force it to withdraw the feature. And of course, that would be to the detriment of European customers.
Apple says it will continue urging the authorities in these countries to allow it to offer the privacy feature across Europe.
App Tracking Transparency and advertisers
App Tracking Transparency was introduced back in 2020 with iOS 14. Understandably, even before it was officially launched, people were looking forward to it, and when it launched, many iPhone users opted for apps not to track their activity across the internet for advertising purposes.
The feature was so effective that it made Facebook’s revenue drop by $12.8 billion in a single year. Of course, Meta (and others) didn’t like that.
The feature became really popular and is currently widely used by users. Advertising platforms and big tech companies see that as anti-competitive behavior, though.
Right now, competition authorities are investigating the feature. In Germany, the Federal Cartel Office (Bundeskartellamt, or BKartA) has apparently concluded that ATT could violate antitrust regulations.
The authority noted that the feature applies to third-party apps, and not to Apple’s own apps. Apple, however, argued that its apps do not collect data from other providers.
Italy is also investigating ATT, and right now, it’s expected to rule on the same issue by the end of the year. Meanwhile, Apple has told regulators it has solutions, and also said that complex solutions proposed by regulators are aimed at undermining the function of the feature.
App Tracking Transparency is a feature I’ve enabled for every app that I can
I’m a huge fan of this feature, and ever since it was introduced, I’ve had it enabled for all apps that I can on my iPhone. I find it unsettling that companies would lurk around my activity online in order to show me relevant ads, and I frankly dislike that, as it feels to me like a serious invasion of privacy. Ads should be available. I’ve found plenty of curious stuff from ads, but not to the detriment of my privacy, I’d say.
Hopefully, Apple is able to resolve the situation in a way that ATT stays enabled in Europe. Because if not, I’ll be one of many upset people, I presume.
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