Apple Fined $11 Million in Italy for Employing 'Aggressive Methods' in Commercial Use of Private Data

Apple and Google were today fined 10 million euros ($11 million) by Italy's Competition Authority for allegedly using user data for commercial purposes without their explicit consent, an apparent violation of Italy's Consumer Code.

apple privacy
The authority claims that both Apple and Google utilize user data they collect through their services for promotional and economic activity without the user's consent. Apple "directly exploits the economic value" of user data it collects to "increase the sale of its products and/or those of third parties through its commercial platforms (App Store, iTunes Store, and Apple Books)," according to a machine-translated copy of the press release.

The watchdog claims that neither Apple nor Google provides users with sufficient and immediate information that their data will be used for commercial purposes. Specifically, the readout of the fine claims that Apple does not provide users with a way to opt out of the use of their data for commercial purposes. As per the press release (machine translation):

In the case of Apple, however, the promotional activity is based on a method of acquiring consent to the use of user data for commercial purposes without providing the consumer with the possibility of a prior and express choice on sharing their data. This acquisition architecture, prepared by Apple, does not make it possible to exercise one's will on the use of one's data for commercial purposes. Therefore, the consumer is conditioned in the choice of consumption and undergoes the transfer of personal information, which Apple can dispose of for its own promotional purposes carried out in different ways.

The Italian authority said when users create an Apple ID, which is essential for accessing any of Apple's services, Apple does not "immediately and explicitly provide the user with any indication on the collection and use of (their) data for commercial purposes." The watchdog added that Apple only tells users that their data will be used to improve and personalize their experience, not that it will be used for commercial purposes.

When using the ‌App Store‌, for example, Apple does show users a splash screen that informs them that Apple may use some of their data to "enable features, secure our services, or personalize your experience." While the authority correctly outlines Apple's lack of acknowledgment that data would be used for commercial purposes, it fails to provide examples or evidence that Apple has partaken in such activities.

Apple's privacy policy, accessible to all users on its websites, states the company will only use personal data to power its services, comply with local laws, prevent fraud, and for communication objectives. Apple's privacy policy also adds that personal data may be used for other purposes only with user consent, covering any possible ambiguity.

Italy's competition watchdog fined Apple over $150 million earlier this week for alleged anti-competitive practices with Beats and Amazon. The fine was a result of an investigation that found Apple and Amazon were limiting the sales of Beats products through third-party resellers in an attempt to stifle competition.

Update: Apple in a statement to MacRumors said that the authority's viewpoint is "wrong' and that it plans on appealing the decision. Apple also said that it only sends marketing emails to customers after receiving their explicit consent and that it uses its "Data & Privacy" screen to inform users of ways their personal data is being used. Apple also said it does not personalize any of its services, including its digital Stores, for children and allows users to disable personalization at any time.

We believe the Authority's view is wrong and will be appealing the decision. Apple has a long-standing commitment to the privacy of our users and we work incredibly hard to design products and features that protect customer data. We provide industry-leading transparency and control to all users so they can choose what information to share or not, and how it is used.

Tag: Italy

Popular Stories

iOS 26

iOS 26.1 Coming Soon: New Features for Your iPhone and Release Date

Monday October 27, 2025 7:55 am PDT by
The upcoming iOS 26.1 update includes a handful of new features and changes for iPhones, including a toggle for changing the appearance of the Liquid Glass design, "slide to stop" for alarms in the Clock app, and more. Below, we outline key details about iOS 26.1. Release Date Given that Apple has yet to seed an iOS 26.1 Release Candidate, which is typically the final beta version, the...
iOS 26

6 New Things Your iPhone Can Do in iOS 26.1

Wednesday October 29, 2025 4:22 am PDT by
Apple is about to drop iOS 26.1, the first major point release since iOS 26 was rolled out in September, and there are at least six notable changes and improvements to look forward to. We've rounded them up below. Apple has already provided developers and public beta testers with the release candidate version of iOS 26.1, which means Apple will likely roll out the update to all compatible...
maxresdefault

Apple TV 4K Could Still Launch Before 2025 Ends: All the Rumored Features

Monday October 27, 2025 4:51 pm PDT by
Apple is designing an updated version of the Apple TV 4K, and rumors suggest that it could come out sometime in the next couple of months. We're not expecting a major overhaul with design changes, but even a simple chip upgrade will bring major improvements to Apple's set-top box. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. We've rounded up all the latest Apple TV rumors. ...
M6 MacBook Pro Feature 1

M6 MacBook Pro: Release Date, Pricing, and What to Expect

Monday October 27, 2025 9:15 am PDT by
Apple this month refreshed the 14-inch MacBook Pro base model with its new M5 chip, and higher-end 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models with M5 Pro and M5 Max chips are expected to follow in early 2026. However, these machines will represent the final update to the current design, with Apple reportedly developing a completely new version of the MacBook Pro packed with next-generation hardware...
iOS 26

Apple Seeds iOS 26.1, iPadOS 26.1, and macOS Tahoe 26.1 Release Candidates

Tuesday October 28, 2025 1:07 pm PDT by
Apple today provided developers and public beta testers with the release candidate versions of upcoming iOS 26.1, iPadOS 26.1, macOS Tahoe 26.1, tvOS 26.1, watchOS 26.1, and visionOS 26.1 updates for testing purposes. The RCs betas come a week after Apple released the fourth betas. The new betas can be downloaded from the Settings app on a compatible device by going to General > Software...
iOS 26 Battery Glass Feature

iOS 26.1 Beta Liquid Glass Battery Drain Test: Tinted vs Clear Mode

Friday October 24, 2025 2:30 pm PDT by
In the fourth iOS 26.1 beta, Apple added a "Tinted" option that reduces the translucency of Liquid Glass for those who prefer a more opaque look. I saw some comments wondering whether the setting might preserve battery life, so I thought I'd do some testing. Test Settings I did four separate tests using the iPhone 17 Pro Max, and I kept the parameters as similar as possible. Here are the...
ios 26 digital id passport wallet

Apple Says U.S. Passport Feature on iPhone is Coming Soon

Monday October 27, 2025 7:41 am PDT by
You will "soon" be able to add a digital version of your U.S. passport to your iPhone, according to Jennifer Bailey, vice president of Apple Pay and Apple Wallet. Bailey reiterated that the feature is coming soon during her keynote at the Money20/20 USA conference in Las Vegas on Sunday. On its iOS 26 page, Apple says the delayed feature will be "coming later this year." Apple's...
macos tahoe

Here Are Apple's Release Notes for macOS Tahoe 26.1

Tuesday October 28, 2025 1:21 pm PDT by
Apple today provided developers and public beta testers with the release candidate version of macOS Tahoe 26.1, which means the update will likely see a public launch next week. The release candidate includes notes on what's in the update, so we have a full picture of the new features that Apple has included. macOS Tahoe 26.1 adds AutoMix support over AirPlay, improved FaceTime audio...
All Screen iPhone 2027 Feature 1

iPhone XX? 6 Features Rumored for Apple's 20th Anniversary iPhone

Monday October 27, 2025 4:01 pm PDT by
For the 10th anniversary iPhone that came out in 2017, Apple introduced the iPhone X with Face ID, notch, and minimized bezels, providing more display space than ever before. The 20th iPhone anniversary is approaching and Apple wants to take the iPhone X design even further. We're two years away from the 2027 iPhone, but it's tough for Apple to keep major changes under wraps. We've rounded...

Top Rated Comments

GeoStructural Avatar
51 months ago
How dare they! Apple is all about privacy, they said so in a commercial. “What happens in your iPhone stays in your iPhone”.
Score: 18 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Love-hate ? relationship Avatar
51 months ago
such bastards ,they limit so many things for " privacy" ,just to actually use the data themselves??
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
jayducharme Avatar
51 months ago
I don’t understand this. Anyone who gets an Apple device is presented with multiple screens asking the user to opt in or out of various features. So is this saying that if a user opts out of everything, Apple still collects data for commercial use?
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Lihp8270 Avatar
51 months ago

I don’t understand it either. Is any harm coming to the consumer? If not, why are they being fined? And while they’re at, why not fine every website on the internet that doesn’t let you opt out of cookies?
It you’re in the EU nearly every website now displays a cookie opt out window.

It’s infuriating, many US based sites just block access from the EU and the UK as they don’t want to comply with data laws.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
0924487 Avatar
51 months ago
I think it's about getting more tax dollar.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
buckwheet Avatar
51 months ago
Uh... the article indicates that there's no proof given for the claim that Apple has, in fact, actually used the data for commercial purposes. It's quite possible the intention here is to hide behind the vagueness of "commercial purposes" to pick up $150m.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)