Apple to change iPhone advertising consent prompts under regulatory pressure

Apple is facing regulatory pressure to change how it handles advertising consent on iPhone devices. The German Federal Cartel Office (Bundeskartellamt) has identified a double standard in the company’s App Tracking Transparency (ATT) mechanism.

Regulators argue that Apple uses intimidating language and symbols, such as a palm-shaped warning icon, to discourage users from allowing third-party apps to track them. In contrast, the prompts for Apple’s own personalized advertising services are designed to encourage consent. This discrepancy is viewed as a violation of fair competition standards under European digital market regulations.

Apple has been given four months to redesign these pop-up windows. The company must remove intimidating phrasing and symbols, ensuring that notifications for third-party developers are neutral and consistent with the design used for Apple’s own services.