Apple ordered to stop scaring iPhone and iPad users away from third-party apps

Germany's Federal Cartel Office has ordered Apple to stop using misleading design tactics in its data collection consent prompts that favor Apple's own apps over third-party applications. The App Tracking Transparency feature, which made cross-app user tracking opt-in starting with iOS 14.5, reportedly cost social media companies nearly $10 billion but was criticized for presenting prompts in a way that discouraged users from granting tracking permission to competitors.