Italy's competition authority, the Autorità Garante della Concorrenza e del Mercato (AGCM), has levied a fine of € 98.6 million (approximately $ 116 million) against Apple due to its App Tracking Transparency (ATT) feature. The fine stems from findings that ATT imposes unfair restrictions on third-party app developers while allowing Apple’s own apps to operate without similar limitations.
Since its introduction in April 2021, ATT has faced criticism for its impact on data collection practices among developers using the App Store. The AGCM's investigation, which was conducted in collaboration with the European Commission and other national authorities, determined that Apple's policies create excessive burdens on third-party developers. They must seek explicit consent for data use through ATT, which does not align with existing privacy legislation.
The AGCM noted that these unilateral measures disadvantage Apple's business partners, labeling them as disproportionate to the company's objectives for user privacy. Apple has previously faced scrutiny over ATT in various countries, including recent antitrust concerns in Germany, France, and Brazil.