● Covered by 1 source · 1 reportMedium impact1 neutral
Apple modifies App Tracking Transparency consent screens for EU apps after antitrust probe
Key points
- Apple modifies ATT consent screens for apps in the EU.
- Changes include new formatting, language, and an 'additional information' link.
- The update follows an antitrust probe by German regulators.
- Developers can re-prompt users annually for consent.
Regulatory Pressure Leads to Changes
Apple has agreed to alter the requirements for App Tracking Transparency (ATT) consent screens for applications distributed within the European Union. This decision stems from a multi-year antitrust investigation initiated by Germany's federal competition regulator and other European authorities. Regulators contended that Apple's previous ATT system created an uneven playing field, as Apple's own applications could utilize consumer data from its ecosystem without requiring a consent prompt.
New Consent Screen Options for EU Developers
The new agreements with European competition authorities do not remove the requirement for user prompts but introduce an alternative consent screen for EU app developers. This alternative allows for modified formatting, language, and the inclusion of a link to 'additional information' explaining why the app requests tracking permission. These changes are intended to make the ATT consent screens less alarming to users.
Specific Modifications and Availability
Apple's compliance involves several changes, such as displaying consent as full-page screens instead of pop-ups, removing the word 'track,' and changing choice buttons to 'Allow' and 'Reject' from 'Allow' and 'Ask App Not to Track.' Colors and formatting have also been adjusted. Developers can now provide more detailed explanations through a clickable link. Due to legal requirements, this alternative prompt version will be available only for apps distributed in Germany, France, Italy, Poland, and Romania. Additionally, developers can now re-prompt EU users one year after their initial ATT consent choice.
Impact on Advertising and Privacy
User responses to consent screens often result in opting out of tracking, which affects ad-supported businesses reliant on personalized advertising revenue. Apple has maintained that these consent screens protect consumer privacy, despite allowing its own apps to display personalized ads using collected data from its ecosystem.
✨ This summary was generated by AI from the outlets' reporting listed below. It is not independently verified and may contain errors — check the original sources. How BrevFeed works →
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Reporting from
Apple will allow EU app developers to use alternative App Tracking Transparency (ATT) consent screens with modified formatting and language. This change follows a multi-year antitrust probe by German regulators, who argued Apple's original ATT system favored its own apps by not requiring consent for its data collection.