German Competition Watchdog Reviews Changes to Apple's App Tracking Framework

By Edith Hancock

Germany's competition regulator said it is reviewing changes Apple made to its app-tracking consent tools in the country after officials warned they could give the tech giant's own software a leg-up over competing apps.

The Federal Cartel Office said Tuesday that it is looking at a series of changes Apple has made to its App Tracking Transparency Framework that allow users to choose whether apps can track their activity across other apps and websites for advertising.

The watchdog said that Apple shows different consent prompts depending on whether an app is Apple's or a third-party's. It warned in February that the wording and design of those windows made it more likely that users would choose to consent to its access requests than to those from other apps.

"In order to keep this important privacy tool available to our users in Germany, we have agreed to make changes to the text and formatting of the ATT prompt at the FCO's request, while maintaining core user benefits," an Apple spokesperson said. The company said it doesn't show the App Tracking Transparency prompt for third-parties because it doesn't track users across other companies' apps and websites.

Under the proposed changes, Apple offered to revise consent windows it displays for third parties' tracking and personalized ads and to simplify the query structure it includes for third-party apps, the FCO said.

The FCO also said that Apple didn't offer to change its advertising success measurement process. It said it will seek feedback from app publishers, media and advertising industry associations, content providers and local data privacy authorities to check if the changes bring Apple's features in line with Germany's digital competition rules.

FCO president Andreas Mundt said Apple's framework is of considerable importance for competition across the digital ecosystem, adding that the case hinges on who determines how apps gain access to user data. "We see a fundamental need for change and are therefore carefully examining whether the currently proposed adjustments are sufficient," he said.

Write to Edith Hancock at edith.hancock@wsj.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

December 02, 2025 09:56 ET (14:56 GMT)