Apple faced a notable fine in France for personalized ads. France's National Informatics and Freedom Commission (CNIL) has fined 8 million euros over allegations that Apple automatically collects identifying data from App Store visitors using iOS 14.6 without their consent and uses it to display ads. The firm was profiting from breaches of data protection law, officials said.
The CNIL adds to the decision that while you can turn off ad targeting, it is enabled by default and cannot be disabled without switching between multiple menu levels. Reportedly, this made it nearly impossible for users to give proper consent. Apple has since changed its practices, and the CNIL said it conducted "several" audits between 2021 and 2022 to ensure the company complies with its data rules. France launched its investigation in March 2021.
Apple has a contentious relationship with French regulators. In 2020, the country's competition authority fined the equivalent of $1.2 billion (later reduced to $364.6 million) for alleged antitrust violations in the distribution chain. In the same year, Apple was also fined $27.3 million for slowing iPhone performance. While the French government has defended Apple's iOS 14 anti-tracking measures against industry pressure, it is clear that the brand is being followed closely…