German publishers and advertising groups have rejected proposed changes by Apple to its app tracking rules, urging the country’s competition watchdog to impose a fine on the technology giant for what they describe as unresolved antitrust concerns in the digital advertising market.
Industry associations representing publishers, media agencies and advertisers said the revisions to Apple’s App Tracking Transparency (ATT) framework fail to address competition issues that regulators have been examining for several years. The groups are calling on Germany’s antitrust authority to reject the company’s proposals, halt the use of the tracking tool and penalise Apple for alleged abuse of market power.
ATT was introduced to give iPhone and iPad users greater control over privacy by requiring apps to obtain explicit consent before tracking their activity across other apps and websites for targeted advertising. The feature prevents developers from accessing Apple’s advertising identifier unless users grant permission, effectively limiting cross-app tracking that many advertising and media companies rely on.
While Apple has defended the system as an important privacy safeguard, critics say it also allows the company to act as a powerful gatekeeper in the digital advertising ecosystem. Publishers and advertisers argue that the rules restrict their ability to collect user data and measure advertising performance, while Apple maintains significant control over access to key information.
In response to earlier concerns from regulators, Apple proposed several changes to the ATT framework. These include introducing more neutral consent prompts that would apply equally to Apple’s own services and to third-party apps, as well as simplifying the process for developers seeking user permission to process advertising-related data.
However, the industry groups argue that these revisions fall short of resolving the underlying competition issues. They say the proposals still leave Apple in control of critical advertising data and fail to create a level playing field for publishers and advertisers that depend on targeted advertising revenue.
The dispute stems from a broader investigation by Germany’s Federal Cartel Office, which previously accused Apple of abusing its market power through its tracking framework. The regulator has been evaluating whether the system gives Apple preferential treatment while imposing stricter conditions on third-party app developers and advertising providers.
Germany’s competition authority has been conducting a market test of Apple’s proposed revisions, gathering feedback from publishers, regulators and industry stakeholders before deciding whether the changes sufficiently address antitrust concerns.
Under German competition law, companies found to have violated antitrust rules can face fines of up to 10 per cent of their global annual turnover, raising the stakes for Apple as regulators continue to scrutinize the impact of its privacy-focused tracking system on the digital advertising market.
The outcome of the case could have significant implications for both privacy regulation and competition policy in Europe’s fast-evolving digital economy.
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Emmanuel Abara Benson is a business journalist and editor covering artificial intelligence, global markets, and emerging technology.
He has previously worked with Business Insider Africa and Nairametrics, reporting on finance, startups, and innovation.
His work focuses on AI, digital economy, and global tech trends.
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