Core Viewpoint - Italy's competition authority fined Apple nearly $116 million for imposing overly-restrictive privacy rules that require third-party app developers to obtain user consent for data collection and tracking, which is seen as an abuse of its dominant market position [1][3]. Group 1: Regulatory Actions - The fine is a result of a joint investigation initiated in May 2023 by the AGCM, European Commission, Italian Data Protection Authority, and other national competition authorities regarding Apple's App Tracking Transparency (ATT) framework [4]. - The AGCM claims that Apple began requiring app developers to obtain user consent in addition to existing consent requirements in April 2021, which violates article 102 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union [5]. Group 2: Impact on Developers - The AGCM stated that the requirement for double user consent is "excessive" and "burdensome," leading to a reduction in opt-in rates for data tracking on third-party apps, which hampers developers' ability to compete with Apple [7]. - The restrictions imposed by the ATT policy on data collection and use are likely to harm developers whose business models rely on advertising, as well as advertisers and advertising intermediation platforms [8]. Group 3: Previous Fines - Earlier in the year, Apple was fined €500 million (approximately $588 million) by the European Union for breaching the Digital Markets Act and failing to inform customers of alternatives outside its App Store [10].