Poland Initiates Antitrust Investigation into Apple’s App Tracking Transparency Framework
Poland’s Office of Competition and Consumer Protection (UOKiK) has launched an antitrust investigation into Apple’s App Tracking Transparency (ATT) framework, introduced with iOS 14.5. The regulator is examining whether ATT restricts competition in the mobile advertising market by limiting third-party apps’ ability to collect user data for personalized advertising, potentially favoring Apple’s own advertising services.
ATT requires apps to obtain user consent before tracking their activity across other apps and websites. While Apple positions ATT as a privacy enhancement, UOKiK President Tomasz Chróstny expressed concerns that the policy may have misled users about the extent of privacy protection and simultaneously increased Apple’s competitive advantage over independent publishers. He stated, Such practices may constitute an abuse of dominant position.
If the investigation concludes that Apple has violated competition laws, the company could face fines up to 10% of its annual revenue in Poland. Apple has defended ATT, asserting that it empowers users to control their data and enhances privacy. The company has expressed its intention to cooperate with UOKiK during the investigation.
This probe is part of a broader European scrutiny of Apple’s ATT framework. Regulators in Germany, Italy, and Romania have initiated similar investigations, and in March, France’s Competition Authority fined Apple €150 million over the implementation of ATT.
The outcome of these investigations could have significant implications for Apple’s operations in Europe and the global mobile advertising landscape.
