Italian Regulator Hits Apple With Major Fine Over App Tracking Rules

Key Moments

Italian Antitrust Watchdog Targets App Store Practices

Italy’s competition authority has fined Apple, Apple Distribution International and Apple Italia €98 million. The regulator claims the group exploited what it called a “position of absolute dominance” in the App Store.

Specifically, the authority argued that Apple’s policies place unnecessary burdens on app developers. As a result, it accused the company of abusing its dominant role in the iOS app distribution market.

Italy Fines Apple €98 Million for Alleged Abuse of App Privacy Feature

Italy’s competition authority on Monday said it had fined US tech giant Apple €98 million ($115 million) for allegedly abusing its dominant position in the mobile app market. pic.twitter.com/djw0msZ2su

— Instablog9ja (@instablog9ja) December 22, 2025

Duplicate Consent Raises Concerns for Developers

According to the authority, Apple’s App Tracking Transparency (ATT) rules force developers to request user consent twice for advertising-related data. Therefore, the regulator said the framework goes beyond what privacy law requires.

Moreover, officials concluded that the structure weakens ad-supported business models used by many apps. In their view, it does so without delivering privacy benefits that would justify the added burden.

The authority stated that this duplication “creates a lack of proportionality,” noting that Apple could have ensured the same level of privacy through a single consent step.

Impact on Competition Within Apple’s Ecosystem

The investigation also examined how the ATT framework affects competition on iOS. In particular, it compared the position of third-party developers with Apple’s own activities.

Regulators found that developers and advertising intermediaries face stricter constraints. Meanwhile, Apple continues to operate advertising services within the same ecosystem.

Coordinated European Scrutiny Intensifies

The Italian ruling followed a lengthy probe conducted with the European Commission and Italy’s data protection authority, the Garante per la Protezione dei Dati Personali. Together, the bodies assessed both competition and privacy implications.

Elsewhere in Europe, scrutiny has also increased. In March, France’s competition authority fined Apple €150 million over the rollout of ATT.

French regulators said the feature imposed excessive obligations on developers. At the same time, they ruled that the approach was not strictly necessary to protect user privacy.

How App Tracking Transparency Works

Apple introduced App Tracking Transparency in 2021. The framework requires apps distributed through the App Store to request explicit user permission before tracking activity across apps and websites.

However, when users refuse consent, developers lose access to key advertising data. Consequently, authorities warn that Apple’s unilateral rules may disadvantage rivals while preserving its own advertising operations.

Regulatory Actions at a Glance