Apple will let EU apps use less-alarming tracking-consent screens

Apple has agreed to modify the requirements for applications on its platforms in the European Union concerning user tracking consent. This decision follows a multi-year antitrust investigation initiated by Germany's federal competition regulator and other authorities.

The changes to the App Tracking Transparency (ATT) system include presenting consent requests as full-page screens instead of pop-ups, removing the term "track," and altering the choice buttons to "Allow" and "Reject" from the previous "Ask App Not to Track." Developers can also include a clickable link for more detailed information on data usage, and Apple will permit re-prompting users annually after their initial selection. These alternative prompts will be specifically available for apps distributed in Germany, France, Italy, Poland, and Romania.

Regulators previously asserted that Apple's ATT system unfairly favoured its own applications, which could utilise consumer data from its ecosystem without requiring a consent screen. The current modifications aim to make the consent process less intimidating for users, potentially influencing user opt-in rates for tracking.

This could have significant implications for ad-supported businesses, such as Meta, which rely on personalised advertising revenue. Meanwhile, Apple's own applications continue to display personalised advertisements based on data collected from its ecosystem.

The modifications to the App Tracking Transparency system are being implemented by Apple. This action stems from multi-year antitrust probes conducted by Germany's federal competition regulator and other European competition authorities.

Key areas of observation will include the impact of these less "alarming" consent screens on user behaviour and, consequently, on the revenue models of ad-supported applications in the EU. The effectiveness of the new re-prompting mechanism after one year will also be significant.