Dutch Regulator Still Unsatisfied With Apple's Rules Surrounding Dating Apps

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The competition regulator in the Netherlands today announced that Apple's rules surrounding Dutch dating apps remain insufficient.

iOS App Store General Feature JoeBlue
In a statement obtained by journalist Nando Kasteleijn, the Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM) said that while Apple eliminating its requirement for Dutch dating apps to create a separate app binary in order to accept alternative payments was an improvement, the company has yet to fully comply with Dutch and European regulations. The statement did not outline the specific conditions that Apple has yet to comply with.

The ACM already fined Apple a total of €50 million between January and March for failing to comply with the order, and the competition regulator said it is now preparing a new order with additional penalties that will be published in the coming weeks.

The saga began in December 2021, when the ACM announced that Apple must let dating apps accept alternative payment methods on the App Store in the Netherlands. Apple complied with the demand, but it initially required Dutch dating apps to submit a separate app binary to accept alternative payments. Apple has since made several changes to its rules surrounding Dutch dating apps, but the ACM remains unsatisfied.

Apple previously said that while it disagrees with the order and is appealing the decision, the changes it announced on March 30 demonstrated the company's ongoing commitment to fulfill its legal obligations in the Netherlands.

Tag: App Store

Top Rated Comments

Mojohanna32 Avatar
Mojohanna32
32 months ago
get the feeling that no matter what Apple does, it will never be enough.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
TheYayAreaLiving ?️ Avatar
TheYayAreaLiving ?️
32 months ago
If they are that dissatisfied… Apple doesn’t need to provide its services to them.

Looks like the Dutch Regulators are trying to fine Apple as much as they can. They are pushing it.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
CapitalIdea Avatar
CapitalIdea
32 months ago

They don't want to say it, but I'd guess it's regarding access of accounting data on dating app companies and charging 27% as commission from apps that use a third party payment provider.

Most Probably so this doesn't end up in a higher court where logic might prevail. Apple did what they wanted, to the letter, but not the "spirit" of what the regulators wanted e.g. substantially lower charges to app providers.
Exactly. They want to essentially cap what a company can charge for its product (in this case, their dev tools and infrastructure), which doesn't work in a capitalist world. If they come right out and say it, however, the blowback would be immense.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
deathcab Avatar
deathcab
32 months ago
"You still haven't done everything we want you to do to be in compliance, but we're also not going to tell you what it is we want you to do to be in compliance."
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Deguello Avatar
Deguello
32 months ago

Because even the regulators don't know. I feel like the goal posts are continuously being moved. If I were Apple, I would not proceed without 100% knowing what to do. Give them a guidance document, STICK WITH THAT DOCUMENT, and stop moving the goalposts.
Flashbacks to being a dev: “I can‘t make it do what you want if you don’t tell me what you want it to do.”
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ksec Avatar
ksec
32 months ago
The Netherland has a population of 17 million, even if every single one of them were iPhone users, Apple could easily afford to lose them and it would only be less than 1.5% of its iPhone total user. Apple's lawyer has on multiple occasion threaten to pull out of the UK or other EU countries. This is the time to show them the power.

Trust the Wisdom on Macumors. Pull out of the Netherland.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
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