Apple Hit With Supersized Fine in Italy Over an iPhone Privacy Feature

Apple Hit With Supersized Fine in Italy Over an iPhone Privacy Feature

Apple Fined $116M in Italy Over iPhone Privacy Feature In a landmark decision that could ripple across the tech industry, Apple has been slapped with a €98.6 million ($116 million) fine by Italy’s Competition Authority (AGCM) over its App Tracking Transparency (ATT) feature. The penalty, announced December 22, 2025, centers not on privacy itself—but on how Apple’s implementation may be stifling competition in the European digital ad market. Users searching “Why was Apple fined in Italy?” or “What’s the issue with iPhone tracking prompts?” now have a clear answer: regulators argue Apple’s privacy rules unfairly burden third-party developers while potentially boosting its own ad business. Credit: Google Italy’s Regulators Call ATT “Disproportionate” The AGCM doesn’t oppose stronger user privacy—in fact, it explicitly praises Apple’s intent. But it argues that the way App Tracking Transparency is enforced goes too far. Since iOS 14.5 launched in April 2021, all apps on iPhone and iPad must a…