Technology
Apple is facing a data privacy complaint from a French startup lobby.
According to a statement from France Digitale, the country's leading startup lobby, the data privacy watchdog CNIL will file a lawsuit against Apple on Tuesday for suspected violations of European Union laws.
The lobby, which represents the majority of France's digital entrepreneurs and venture capitalists, claims that Apple's new operating software, iOS 14, does not comply with EU privacy standards in a seven-page complaint seen by Reuters.
Although iPhone owners are asked if they are willing to allow installed mobile apps to gather a key identifier used to identify campaign advertising and submit targeted advertisements, France Digitale claims that default settings allow Apple to bring its own targeted advertisements.
While iPhone owners are asked if they are willing to allow installed mobile apps to gather a key identifier used to identify campaign advertising and submit targeted advertisements, France Digitale claims that default settings allow Apple to run its own targeted ad campaigns without explicitly asking iPhone users for their consent.
All organizations must ask visitors online whether they want to have any of their data collected through trackers or other tools under EU data privacy rules.
The same rules also give everyone the right to request information on the purposes of data collection and how it is done.
Apple's monitoring feature, according to the lobby, allows it to share the data it gathers with affiliated organizations without informing users.
In a tweet, France Digitale CEO Nicolas Brien said, It's a startup version of David versus Goliath, but we're determined.
The claims in the lawsuit are patently false and will be seen for what they are, Apple said in a written statement. Those who monitor users will be seen for what they are, a bad attempt by those who track users to detract from their own conduct and deceive regulators and policymakers.
France Digitale's complaint comes after a similar case against Apple was lodged with the antitrust authority by French online advertising lobbies last October.
It also comes after Noyb, an Austrian advocacy group, filed complaints with data protection authorities in Germany and Spain, alleging that Apple's monitoring tool enabled the company to store users' data without their permission.
