German Regulator Charges Apple With Abuse of Power Over App Tracking Tool (yahoo.com) 14
The German antitrust authority has charged Apple with abusing its market power through its app tracking tool and giving itself preferential treatment in a move that could result in daily fines for the iPhone maker if it fails to change its business practices. From a report: The move follows a three-year investigation by the Federal Cartel Office into Apple's App Tracking Transparency feature, which allows users to block advertisers from tracking them across different applications.
The U.S. tech giant has said the feature allows users to control their privacy but has drawn criticism from Meta Platforms, app developers and startups whose business models rely on advertising tracking. "The ATTF (app tracking tool) makes it far more difficult for competing app publishers to access the user data relevant for advertising," Andreas Mundt, cartel office president, said in a statement.
The U.S. tech giant has said the feature allows users to control their privacy but has drawn criticism from Meta Platforms, app developers and startups whose business models rely on advertising tracking. "The ATTF (app tracking tool) makes it far more difficult for competing app publishers to access the user data relevant for advertising," Andreas Mundt, cartel office president, said in a statement.
What is this? (Score:5, Interesting)
Re: (Score:1, Troll)
Unclear. I read the original article. It doesn't explain what's going on or what the real issue is.
I have an iPhone and iPad for many years. I'm not sure what ads they're even talking about. None of the pre-loaded apps have ads. Maybe there's some post-purchase Apple apps that serve ads? I don't use any post-purchase Apple apps so couldn't say but at last check none of the Apple apps are on the top 100 list so if they're breaking the law for an advantage they're really terrible at it.
Re:What is this? (Score:5, Informative)
I read through the article. I expected it to detail the ways in which Apple was able to profit from tracking users while the other companies were not. There wasn't much there. The only issue presented was the problem other companies were having with the fact that Apple made user tracking a choice that the user makes, and (I guess) most users choose no tracking.
It seems like these companies found a sympathetic government that they could "lobby" to try to change Apple's decision to build their device so that the users were in control of whether or not they could be tracked. And the German government seems to be sympathetic to the idea that these company's "business model" is based on tracking, therefore they should not be denied their tracking.
I thought European countries were the epitome of data privacy? Color me confused now. There must be more of an argument somewhere in there. Otherwise, the German ministers can go sit on a Panzer.
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:3)
I read through the article. I expected it to detail the ways in which Apple was able to profit from tracking users while the other companies were not. There wasn't much there. The only issue presented was the problem other companies were having with the fact that Apple made user tracking a choice that the user makes, and (I guess) most users choose no tracking.
It seems like these companies found a sympathetic government that they could "lobby" to try to change Apple's decision to build their device so that the users were in control of whether or not they could be tracked. And the German government seems to be sympathetic to the idea that these company's "business model" is based on tracking, therefore they should not be denied their tracking.
I thought European countries were the epitome of data privacy? Color me confused now. There must be more of an argument somewhere in there. Otherwise, the German ministers can go sit on a Panzer.
I read through the article. I expected it to detail the ways in which Apple was able to profit from tracking users while the other companies were not. There wasn't much there. The only issue presented was the problem other companies were having with the fact that Apple made user tracking a choice that the user makes, and (I guess) most users choose no tracking.
That's what I take away as well. If Apple honors th "do not track" request the same way for its apps, what's te issue other than companies wanting data to sell, to which I say fuck off and die. Maybe it's that Apple's apps don'y ask the same question the first time? Then they should just add that in as a splach screen with an update.
It seems like these companies found a sympathetic government that they could "lobby" to try to change Apple's decision to build their device so that the users were in control of whether or not they could be tracked. And the German government seems to be sympathetic to the idea that these company's "business model" is based on tracking, therefore they should not be denied their tracking.
Lookin at the complainants, it's another whiney bunch complaining they want to make more money of of iPhone users.
I thought European countries were the epitome of data privacy? Color me confused now. There must be more of an argument somewhere in there. Otherwise, the German ministers can go sit on a Panzer.
I suggest they insert the Panzerkanone in an appropriate or
Re: What is this? (Score:2, Insightful)
Nah, they're just the world leader in pointless and often counterproductive regulation. Shit, they'll often regulate stuff out of existence for no reason other than they have an irrational fear of it, like GM crops for example, which has an even stronger backing of the scientific community than climate change. Yet the EU has banned it, which also has put them way behind the rest of the world in related scientific fields like proteomics, just like many other fields because of similarly brain dead regulations
Re: (Score:2)
It seems like these companies found a sympathetic government that they could "lobby"
Does not knowing what is going on make you instantly think someone lobbied someone? Why not Google the complaint itself. Here's the original report from the authority: https://www.bundeskartellamt.d... [bundeskartellamt.de]
Put that through Google translate if you will, but note a few things: The complaint is that the tracking requirements differ between Apple's own apps and those of 3rd parties. The complaint notes that Apple has market importance and thus is always in the eyes of the antitrust regulator. And above all, NOTHING
no way (Score:5, Insightful)
Re: (Score:3)
Ah, but to advertisers and to regulators, their business goals and 'requirements for competition' outweigh your privacy and your right to decide what you buy and what information you share and with whom.
It seems to me the German action should be challengeable under GDPR, but I'm not a lawyer, let alone one trained in German and EU administrative law.
Re: (Score:1)
If you truly want the privacy-invading advertisers off your phone, the answer is simple: use a dumbphone. No web browsing and no apps means no tracking.
Of course, there is still government tracking of your location. That is inescapable so long as you carry a phone, because it's how the towers work. Also you will still get unsolicited text message spam. And unsolicited phone call spam too. But you won't get all the popup ads, and will be tracked by far fewer private businesses.
There will be a consequenc
How to abuse power in Germany (Score:2)
1. Give users the ability to decide.
2. ???
3. Congrats, you have abused power in Germany.
Spurious exemption? (Score:3)
I believe the only Apple products that include ads are the App Store, Major League Soccer, and Friday Night Baseball.