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Apple Tracking Curbs Come Under Fire in $2.7 Billion UK Case

By  |  September 3, 2026
Apple

Apple’s efforts to make privacy a defining feature of the iPhone are facing a new test in Britain, where app developers are seeking about £2 billion ($2.7 billion) over rules they say tilted the digital advertising market in the technology giant’s favor.

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    The proposed legal action targets Apple’s App Tracking Transparency system, which requires users to grant permission before apps can follow their activity across other companies’ apps and websites. The claim was filed at the UK’s Competition Appeal Tribunal, according to Reuters, which reported on the case on Sept. 3.

    At issue is not simply whether Apple can restrict tracking, but whether it applied those restrictions evenly. The developers behind the claim allege that outside businesses faced constraints that did not apply in the same way to Apple’s own advertising operations, Reuters reported.

    That distinction could prove important as regulators increasingly examine how technology companies use privacy protections while simultaneously controlling the platforms on which competitors operate.

    Apple introduced the tracking framework in 2021, presenting it as a way to give customers greater authority over their personal information. The change disrupted an advertising ecosystem in which developers and marketers had relied heavily on data collected across different apps and services to target consumers.

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    The UK claim argues that developers consequently lost advertising revenue while Apple gained a competitive advantage, according to Reuters.

    Ann Pope, a former senior official at Britain’s Competition and Markets Authority who is leading the action, said the case is intended to obtain compensation for affected businesses and ensure they receive fair treatment, Reuters reported.

    Read more: Apple Wins Access to Federal Records in US Smartphone Antitrust Fight

    Apple had not immediately provided a response to the lawsuit when Reuters published its report. The company has previously maintained that its tracking rules deliver meaningful privacy benefits to users.

    The dispute extends beyond Britain. Apple’s approach has attracted regulatory attention elsewhere in Europe as authorities consider whether restrictions designed to protect personal data can also distort competition.

    In Germany, Apple recently agreed to change aspects of how its rules apply to developers using personal data for targeted advertising, Reuters reported. The country’s competition authority had raised concerns about Apple’s market power following complaints involving Meta Platforms, publishers, advertisers and developers.

    Authorities in France, Italy and Poland have also scrutinized elements of Apple’s tracking policies, according to Reuters.

    The cases underscore a broader problem confronting regulators: privacy safeguards can benefit consumers while also changing the economics of markets dominated by a small number of technology platforms.