Apple is facing a new £2 billion lawsuit in the UK over App Tracking Transparency, with the company accused of applying tougher privacy restrictions to third-party developers than it does to its own services.
The legal action was filed at London’s Competition Appeal Tribunal on Thursday and is being brought on behalf of app developers. The claim is led by Ann Pope, a former senior official at the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority, as reported by Reuters.
At the centre of the dispute is App Tracking Transparency, the privacy feature Apple introduced in 2021 that requires apps to obtain permission before tracking a user’s activity across apps and websites owned by other companies.
The lawsuit does not simply challenge Apple’s decision to make tracking opt-in. Instead, those behind the claim allege that Apple created an uneven system in which third-party developers face greater restrictions than Apple’s own advertising services, potentially giving the company an advantage over businesses that rely on targeted advertising.
Pope said the action is intended to protect British businesses that depend on Apple’s platforms and to seek compensation for losses developers are alleged to have suffered as a result of the rules.
Apple has consistently defended App Tracking Transparency as an important privacy protection for iPhone and iPad users. The feature gives users the choice to allow tracking or select “Ask App Not to Track” when an app requests permission. Apple disputes claims that ATT unfairly favours its own services and says it is subject to the same requirements as other developers.
The UK case adds to growing scrutiny of Apple’s tracking policies in Europe. Regulators in several countries have examined whether the implementation of ATT creates competition concerns, while France’s competition authority previously sanctioned Apple over the way the system was introduced.
The latest action also arrives as Apple continues to face wider legal and regulatory challenges surrounding the App Store and the rules governing developers across its platforms.
The £2 billion claim will not immediately proceed to a full trial. It must first be certified by the Competition Appeal Tribunal before the collective action can move forward.