Apple is facing a £2 billion ($2.7 billion) legal claim in the UK from app developers who allege that the technology giant gave its own advertising business an unfair advantage through its privacy policies. The case, filed at the Competition Appeal Tribunal by law firm Hausfeld, focuses on Apple’s App Tracking Transparency (ATT) system, which has faced regulatory scrutiny in several European countries.
Developers Challenge Apple’s Privacy Rules
Introduced in 2021, Apple’s ATT feature requires apps to seek users’ permission before tracking their activity across other applications and websites. Users who decline permission prevent the app from accessing certain information used to deliver targeted advertising.
The UK developers argue that Apple implemented the system in a way that placed third-party app developers at a disadvantage while applying less stringent requirements to its own services. According to Hausfeld, the changes left some UK-based developers without enough time to adjust their business models, resulting in significant financial losses.
Similar Investigations Underway in Europe
Apple’s ATT system has also attracted regulatory attention in several European countries, including France, Germany, Italy, Romania and Poland. The company has defended the feature as a privacy measure designed to give users greater control over how their information is used for advertising. Apple was fined €150 million in France last year and almost €100 million in Italy in cases involving similar concerns.
Former CMA Official Leads UK Claim
Ann Pope, a former official at the UK Competition and Markets Authority, brought the case against Apple. Pope said the legal action seeks to protect British businesses that rely on Apple’s ecosystem and ensure that the company applies fair rules to developers. The claim also seeks compensation for losses allegedly suffered by UK companies as a result of Apple’s ATT policies.
Apple Rejects Allegations
Apple has disputed the allegations contained in the lawsuit. The company said ATT was introduced to provide users with a straightforward way to decide whether applications can track their activity across other companies’ apps and websites. Apple also maintains that its own services are subject to the same ATT requirements as other developers and argues that the feature has received support from users and privacy advocates. The £2 billion case will now place Apple’s app tracking policies under further legal scrutiny in the UK.
