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Poland Opens Antitrust Investigation Into Apple’s App Tracking Transparency

The inquiry will test whether the iPhone maker’s privacy design confers an unfair edge in digital advertising across Europe.

Overview

  • Poland’s competition authority UOKiK launched a formal probe into whether Apple’s ATT policy restricts rivals in the mobile ads market and misleads users about privacy.
  • UOKiK president Tomasz Chrostny said the policy may have increased Apple’s advantage over independent publishers and could constitute an abuse of dominance.
  • If violations are confirmed, Apple could face a penalty of up to 10% of its annual turnover in Poland.
  • Apple denied the allegations, said ATT protects user control over data, warned regulatory pressure could force withdrawal of the feature in Europe, and pledged to work with UOKiK.
  • The case joins similar investigations in Germany, Italy, and Romania, and follows a €150 million fine imposed by France’s competition authority in March.