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].

Core Points - France's antitrust authority fined Apple €150 million ($162 million) for abusing competition law related to its App Tracking Transparency (ATT) feature [3][5] - The French Competition Authority criticized the implementation of ATT, stating it was not necessary or proportionate to its goal of protecting personal data [4][6] - The fine covers the period from April 2021 to July 2023, which is relatively small compared to Apple's revenue of $124 billion in the last quarter of the previous year [5] Implementation Issues - The rollout of ATT led to an overwhelming number of consent pop-ups from third-party apps, complicating the user experience on iOS [6] - The authority noted that the system disproportionately affected smaller app publishers who rely on third-party data for financing [6] Company Response - Apple defended ATT, stating it enhances user privacy control with a clear and consistent prompt for tracking consent [7] - The company expressed disappointment with the decision but noted that the French Competition Authority did not mandate any specific changes to ATT [8]