Apple to change app data consent rules

Apple will change rules ⁠governing ⁠how app developers can use personal data for targeted advertising on iPhones and iPads, Germany's competition authority said, closing a ‌years-long investigation.

The country's federal cartel office, ‌or ‌FCO, found that Apple's App ‌Tracking Transparency framework gave its ⁠own apps more favourable consent prompts than those of third-party developers, potentially breaching competition rules.

Apple has four months to implement the changes ​after the decision is served.

Commitments run for seven years and will be ⁠monitored by a trustee.

Under the commitments, consent pop-ups for third-party apps must be redesigned to remove discouraging language and symbols, and made visually and linguistically neutral.

"While we believe the current ATT prompt provides a clear, easy-to-understand and effective way to keep users in control ​of their data – an opinion ⁠shared by the German data protection ⁠authorities – we have agreed to make changes to the text and ​formatting of the prompt at the FCO's ‌request," Apple said, ⁠adding that with these commitments, it can continue to provide the tool in Europe.

The changes will apply ‌in almost all European Union countries.

Developers of third-party apps, including Facebook parent Meta Platforms, aim for accurate user data so that targeted ​adverts can be displayed on devices.

These generate more revenue than broader campaigns.

• France and Italy have already fined Apple €150 ‌million ($244 million) and €98.6 ⁠million ($161 million), respectively, over ​the ATT framework.