Apple faces new £2 billion UK lawsuit over App Tracking Transparency rules

New UK Lawsuit Against Apple's ATT

Apple is facing a new £2 billion ($2.7 billion) lawsuit in London, brought by app developers. The lawsuit centers on Apple's App Tracking Transparency (ATT) framework, which requires apps to ask users for permission before tracking their data across other apps and websites.

This legal action marks the third complaint related to ATT that Apple has encountered with the UK's Competition Appeal Tribunal.

Allegations of Market Abuse

The app developers behind the lawsuit accuse Apple of abusing its market power. They claim that Apple unfairly imposes greater restrictions on third-party app developers through ATT, while its own applications are not subject to the same permission prompts.

Apple has previously stated that its own apps do not present ATT prompts because they do not collect the specific data that ATT addresses, and third-party apps that also do not collect this data are similarly exempt.

Background on App Tracking Transparency

App Tracking Transparency was introduced by Apple to give users control over whether their data could be used for personalized advertising. This measure was a response to widespread concerns about privacy in personalized advertising, even when data was anonymized.

While personalized ads can benefit consumers, advertisers, and ad-funded apps, the collection of user data has often been perceived as an invasion of privacy.

Ongoing Legal Challenges

This new lawsuit adds to Apple's ongoing legal challenges regarding ATT. The company previously lost one complaint to the UK's Competition Appeal Tribunal and is currently appealing that decision. Another complaint is still pending.

The consistent legal scrutiny highlights the contentious nature of ATT and its impact on the digital advertising ecosystem and app developer businesses.