Apple accepts binding German curbs on its app-tracking consent prompts
Apple will strip discouraging symbols and wording from the consent prompt it imposes on third-party apps, cut the extra consent steps those apps face, and let publishers merge it with the consent data-protection law separately requires — commitments the Bundeskartellamt declared binding to close its Section 19a case. The remedy is structural rather than a fine: implementation is due four months after service, with an independent trustee monitoring for seven years. Germany expects the redesign to shape the tracking framework across other EU member states, where France and Italy fined Apple 150 million and 98.6 million euros over the same rules.
Source: bundeskartellamt.de ↗
If Apple sets up additional rules within its ecosystem for the use of data, these rules must not treat its own offerings better than those of its competitors.
Why this matters
- → Apple must neutralize dark patterns designed to discourage tracking consent on third-party apps
- → Sets a structural precedent for how gatekeepers can't favor their own services over competitors
- → Signals EU-wide shift: France and Italy already fined Apple €248M for the same violations