A Metagiant of the technology owner of platforms such as Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram, joined a representation to the Administrative Council for Economic Defense (Cade) against Apple. The information was first reported by Brazil Journaland confirmed by the goal to Infomoney.
According to the calculation of Brazil Journalthe action targets the data tracking policy known as Apple -implemented Apple in 2021.
Att requires users explicitly authorize the tracking of their activities by the applications downloaded in the App Store. The goal claims that Apple applies the rule discriminatory, requiring explicit consent only to third party applications, while their own apps, such as imessage and Apple Music, use a more favorable acceptance system, making it difficult to reject the tracking.
In the case of Apple apps, users need to access iPhone settings to disable tracking, a more complex process than click on a pop-up shown at the time of download, as occurs in other companies applications.
“The goal is looking for fair competition conditions,” said a source with access to the document, cited by the Brazil Journal.
Denunciation of the goal comes a few months after Cade opened an investigation against Apple for anticoncorrends related to application distribution. In November, Cade complied with a free market complaint in 2022, which accused Apple of abusing its dominant position to ban developers from offering digital goods or services used outside their applications.
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At the time, Cade adopted a preventive measure, forcing Apple to allow applications to sell digital goods directly to consumers in the App Store.
What Apple says
To the InfomoneyApple stressed that ATT was designed as a measure to protect users’ privacy, and that the company is also required to comply with the same rules imposed on other developers. According to the company, ATT requires developers to request explicit permission to track the data collected in their applications and used for advertising or analysis purposes. Data collected outside the app scope or not related to it are not subject to the ATT guidelines.
Apple also pointed out that the policy does not restrict the use of its own data (first-party data) that companies legally get their users. This means that both Apple and other developers can use information provided directly by users as long as they respect the legal terms. “Apple, like all developers, is also required to comply with the ATT,” the company said.
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According to Apple, in the first quarter of 2022, 78% of the search Store search volume on devices with iOS 15 or higher were made by users who disabled custom ads. For users who choose to receive custom ads, Apple said it applies additional protection criteria. “We are committed to providing the best privacy protection to our users while we guarantee a safe and personalized experience,” the company concluded.
The goal argues that Apple’s policy impairs the performance of targeted ad campaigns, which are fundamental to your business model. Without access to tracking data, digital advertising companies face difficulties in measuring the effectiveness of campaigns, compromising their financial results.
In addition, the goal argues that Apple, as administrator of the App Store ecosystem, should ensure equality of conditions for all developers, as the value of iOS is directly related to the presence of popular applications such as WhatsApp, Netflix and Spotify.
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In the representation obtained by Brazil Journalthe goal requests that Cade requires parity in the rules applied by Apple, ensuring that the same tracking policy is adopted for both its own applications and those of third parties.
Global Battle Reflection
The action of the goal in Brazil reflects similar disputes in progress in other markets. In France and Germany, online advertising associations also questioned ATT in antitrust agencies, while in the United States Apple tracking policy is the subject of an investigation by the Justice Department (DOJ). So far, none of these cases have been completed.
