After a years-long investigation by Germany’s federal antitrust watchdog and other authorities, Apple agreed to change its requirements for apps that ask users to consent to tracking. The system, called App Tracking Transparency (ATT), favors Apple over third-party apps by showing them unnecessary dire warnings.
Apple allows its own apps to use user data in its ecosystem without consent. But with third-party apps, companies must warn about possible breaches of confidentiality and personal data. Apple says these consent screens help protect consumer privacy.
The new agreement with the various European competition authorities does not replace the need to seek user consent or specify when consent should be displayed. They will provide app developers distributing software in the EU the ability to display an alternative consent screen with additional information about the reason the app is requesting this permission.
Apple will be making several changes designed to reduce the threat these alternative ATT consent screens pose to end users, including:
- Display the consent screen as a full screen instead of a pop-up window;
- Remove the word “tracking” from the warning text;
- Change the option buttons to “Allow” and “Deny” instead of “Allow” and “Request Do Not Track”;
- Change colors, formatting and more
Additionally, developers can post a link that provides users with an explanation of how and why they use the profile. Apps request these permissions to display personalized ads, which helps developers earn more revenue. Users often ask apps not to track them, which helps Apple’s own business while hurting third-party ad campaigns.
Apple said that due to legal requirements, apps distributed in Germany, France, Italy, Poland and Romania will only provide alternative versions of the system prompt. The company warned that third-party apps will re-ask EU users for consent one year after they previously made a choice on an AT&T screen.
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