German advertisers want Apple fined over App Store changes
German publishers, advertisers, and industry groups rejected Apple's latest tweaks to its App Tracking Transparency (ATT) rules.
Even after Apple proposed updates in December 2025, like making consent prompts look the same for all apps, these groups argue it does not fix the bigger problem: Apple still decides who gets access to valuable user data for ads.
They have even called for a hefty fine against Apple.
Advertisers argue ATT changes keep Apple in charge
This is about who controls your data—and what ads you see.
The ATT rules, first rolled out in 2021, make apps ask before tracking you across other apps.
But critics say Apple's changes do not level the playing field; instead, they keep Apple in charge of the data gate and leave smaller app makers at a disadvantage.
As Bernd Nauen from Germany's ad federation put it, "Apple would remain the data gatekeeper."
Now, these German groups want regulators to reject Apple's proposals and hit them with fines of up to 10% of their annual revenue.