Apple has been directed to modify the design and language of its App Tracking Transparency consent prompts following an investigation by Germany’s Federal Cartel Office. The regulator determined that the current prompt designs contain elements that discourage users from granting permission for third-party applications to access their data, while simultaneously encouraging consent for Apple’s own personalized advertising features.
The preliminary assessment identified several design factors contributing to this imbalance, including the use of warning symbols such as a cautionary hand icon, inconsistent wording between prompts, ambiguous descriptions of data usage, variations in available space for explaining data benefits, and differences in how selection options are presented. The investigation was initiated as part of heightened scrutiny under the European Union’s Digital Markets Act, which designates Apple as a “gatekeeper” platform subject to additional regulatory oversight.
Under the directive, Apple has been given a four-month timeframe to implement changes to its consent interface. The modifications would involve removing discouraging language and symbols from third-party application prompts and establishing a more neutral visual design consistent with Apple’s own consent requests. Additionally, third-party developers would gain the ability to consolidate or link Apple’s mandatory consent prompts with their own data collection requests.
The regulatory action stems partly from the significant market impact of App Tracking Transparency since its introduction with iOS 14.5, which substantially limited cross-app user tracking and resulted in major revenue effects for social media platforms. The mandated changes are expected to apply across nearly all European Union member states.
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