Italy Fines Apple Over Alleged Abuse of App Store Market Power

Italy Fines Apple Over Alleged Abuse of App Store Market Power

Italian antitrust authorities have imposed a fine of nearly €100 million on Apple, accusing the tech giant of abusing its dominant position through its App Store practices. The decision follows a lengthy investigation into Apple’s data-tracking policies and their impact on app developers.

At the center of the case is Apple’s App Tracking Transparency (ATT) framework, which requires third-party app developers to obtain explicit user consent before tracking data for advertising purposes. According to Italy’s competition authority, Apple applied stricter rules to rival developers while benefiting from more favorable conditions for its own services.

Regulators argued that this imbalance distorted fair competition and placed smaller developers at a disadvantage, limiting their ability to compete effectively in the digital marketplace. As a result, Apple was found to have leveraged its control over the iOS ecosystem to reinforce its market dominance.

Apple has strongly rejected the ruling, stating that the ATT system is designed solely to protect user privacy and applies equally to all developers. The company confirmed it plans to appeal the decision, insisting that its policies are transparent and aligned with data protection principles.

The fine comes amid a broader regulatory push across Europe to rein in the power of major technology companies. European authorities have increasingly focused on ensuring fair competition, transparency, and accountability within digital platforms that play a critical role in today’s economy.

Italy’s decision adds to growing pressure on Big Tech firms, signaling that regulators are prepared to take firm action when dominant platforms are perceived to undermine competition or innovation in the technology sector.