Apple in the UK faces a $2.7 billion class-action lawsuit, with ATT's "double standard" tracking mechanism accused of constituting unfair competition
According to Reuters on September 3, Apple is facing a class-action lawsuit in the UK seeking £2 billion (about $2.7 billion) in damages, brought by a group of app developers and filed Thursday with the London Competition Appeal Tribunal.
The dispute centers on Apple's 2021 App Tracking Transparency (ATT) feature. Apple positions the tool as a privacy protection measure, giving users the choice to decide whether to allow apps to track personal behavior data across apps and websites.
But the plaintiffs argue that this mechanism imposes much stricter constraints on third-party developers, while Apple's own advertising-related services are not subject to the same standards, thereby indirectly giving its own ad business a competitive advantage.
The lawsuit is being led by Ann Pope, a former senior official at the UK Competition and Markets Authority. In a statement, she said Apple's policies have caused serious harm to businesses that rely on its platform to operate.
The action aims to protect the legitimate rights and interests of UK businesses and promote fair implementation of platform rules. At the same time, Pope also hopes to recover the economic losses already incurred by businesses.
In response to the allegations, Apple emphasized that the original intent of ATT was "to provide users with a simple way to control whether apps have permission to track their activity," and said Apple itself is "subject to exactly the same requirements as every developer."
However, this explanation has not eased ongoing regulatory scrutiny. Since its launch, ATT has become a key focus of investigations by regulators in multiple European countries.
In Germany, the Federal Cartel Office previously accused Apple of abusing its dominant market position, and Apple agreed last month to change the rules governing how app developers use personal data for targeted advertising.
Meanwhile, regulators in France, Italy, Poland, and other countries have also launched investigations into the App Tracking Transparency framework.
In short, the antitrust pressure Apple faces over ATT rules in multiple countries around the world is escalating in parallel. This $2.7 billion lawsuit not only involves massive compensation, but could also force Apple to reconsider the balance between privacy protection and platform competition.
#苹果面临反垄断诉讼
According to Reuters on September 3, Apple is facing a class-action lawsuit in the UK seeking £2 billion (about $2.7 billion) in damages, brought by a group of app developers and filed Thursday with the London Competition Appeal Tribunal.
The dispute centers on Apple's 2021 App Tracking Transparency (ATT) feature. Apple positions the tool as a privacy protection measure, giving users the choice to decide whether to allow apps to track personal behavior data across apps and websites.
But the plaintiffs argue that this mechanism imposes much stricter constraints on third-party developers, while Apple's own advertising-related services are not subject to the same standards, thereby indirectly giving its own ad business a competitive advantage.
The lawsuit is being led by Ann Pope, a former senior official at the UK Competition and Markets Authority. In a statement, she said Apple's policies have caused serious harm to businesses that rely on its platform to operate.
The action aims to protect the legitimate rights and interests of UK businesses and promote fair implementation of platform rules. At the same time, Pope also hopes to recover the economic losses already incurred by businesses.
In response to the allegations, Apple emphasized that the original intent of ATT was "to provide users with a simple way to control whether apps have permission to track their activity," and said Apple itself is "subject to exactly the same requirements as every developer."
However, this explanation has not eased ongoing regulatory scrutiny. Since its launch, ATT has become a key focus of investigations by regulators in multiple European countries.
In Germany, the Federal Cartel Office previously accused Apple of abusing its dominant market position, and Apple agreed last month to change the rules governing how app developers use personal data for targeted advertising.
Meanwhile, regulators in France, Italy, Poland, and other countries have also launched investigations into the App Tracking Transparency framework.
In short, the antitrust pressure Apple faces over ATT rules in multiple countries around the world is escalating in parallel. This $2.7 billion lawsuit not only involves massive compensation, but could also force Apple to reconsider the balance between privacy protection and platform competition.
#苹果面临反垄断诉讼
