Associations representing German publishers and advertisers stated that Apple's proposed modifications to its app tracking regulations are insufficient in addressing antitrust concerns within the mobile advertising sector.
They are calling upon the country's antitrust authority to impose a penalty on the American technology behemoth.
Three months after the German antitrust authority requested feedback on Apple's changes to its App Tracking Transparency tool, various groups, including media agencies and the German Association of Branded Goods Industry, issued a call.
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The company headquartered in Cupertino, California has announced a tool that enables users to prevent advertisers from tracking their activity across various apps, with the intention of empowering users to manage their privacy.
Despite this intention, the tool has faced backlash from Meta Platforms, the parent company of Facebook, as well as publishers, advertisers, and app developers whose revenue streams depend on tracking users through advertising.
This has led to scrutiny from German competition authorities. It also proposed streamlining the consent procedure to allow developers to secure user authorization for the processing of data related to advertising in accordance with data protection regulations. The organizations stated that the suggested modifications fail to address the concerns identified by the German regulatory body.
“The proposed commitments would not change the negative effects of the App Tracking Transparency Framework”, Bernd Nauen, chief executive of the German Advertising Federation, said in a joint letter signed by the trade bodies.
“Apple would remain the data gatekeeper and would continue to decide who gets access to advertising-relevant data and how companies can communicate with their end customers”, he says.
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The organizations implored the regulatory body to dismiss Apple's suggestions, mandate the cessation of the app tracking feature, and levy a penalty.
Companies that are determined to have violated Germany's antitrust regulations run the risk of facing penalties that may amount to up to 10 percent of their yearly revenue.