iPhone and privacy: the Italian paradox that could block Apple's shield

Apple does not say so openly, but the tension is high. For weeks in Cupertino they have been observing with growing concern what is happening in Italy and other European capitals. There, paradoxically, the battle for privacy may be undergoing the sharpest of reversals. And it all revolves around a function that users are familiar with: App Tracking Transparency (ATT), the pop-up that asks us users if we want to give permission to the app we are opening to follow us from app to app, tracking behaviour, habits, locations. A simple window, a Yes or No. Something so straightforward that it has changed the balance of power in the world of digital advertising.

Apple's official statement is clear. "At Apple, we believe privacy is a fundamental human right, and we created App Tracking Transparency to give users an easy way to control whether companies can track their activity on other apps and websites," they say. They claim they created ATT to give people direct and immediate control over their data. They claim the feature has been welcomed by users, privacy watchdogs and a large section of civil society. But it is the second part of their statement that really captures the climate: 'Not surprisingly, the tracking industry continues to oppose our efforts to give users control over their data, and now intense lobbying in Italy and other European countries may force us to withdraw this feature, to the detriment of European consumers. We will continue to urge the relevant authorities in Italy and across Europe so that Apple can continue to provide this important privacy tool to our users'. Italy, in short, as the epicentre of very strong pressure against one of the most popular functions of the iOS ecosystem.

Behind the scenes, the picture is even bleaker. Because App Tracking Transparency has become, in fact, the number one enemy of ad tech, that is, of all those companies that base their business model on the systematic collection of data, on the construction of detailed profiles, on the ability to follow users across apps, sites, physical services. Before 2021, when ATT did not exist, silent tracking was the norm: the user did not know, did not see, did not choose. With one pop-up, the dynamic was reversed. And the numbers explain why that window has become a symbol: according to a new study commissioned by Apple, 75 per cent of iOS users support it, and the same percentage of Android users would like to have it on their phone.

Clearly, for those who make a living from data, this is a gigantic problem. And even in Italy, there are those who are pressing the antitrust authorities to suspend ATT. The argument is always the same: the consent banners required by the GDPR and e-Privacy already exist, so Apple's screen would be a duplication, or worse, a competitive obstacle. Cupertino retorts that it is the exact opposite: the consent windows of the large advertising operators, often complex and layered, are full of dark patterns, those graphic and psychological choices that push the user to click 'Accept'. A European study cited by Apple claims that 57 per cent of banners on the continent contain elements that steer towards privacy-unfriendly options.

The issue, however, is not only posed as a privacy battle, but also as a competition issue. According to critics, ATT would harm developers and favour Apple. From Cupertino they reject the accusation: Apple is also subject to the same rules, they explain, it simply does not show the pop-up because it does not track users between apps and third-party sites. It does not sell data, it does not use external data to measure advertising campaigns. On the contrary: the company even asks users for additional consent to use first-party data to personalise advertising on its platforms, an obligation that other developers do not have.