Will Apple's new privacy policy and personal data processing rules for iOS devices curb competition? The Polish Office for Competition and Consumer Protection (UOKiK) recently announced that it has stepped in to investigate. The UOKiK chairman announced that the agency has launched an investigation into changes to the privacy policy and personal data processing for Apple-branded devices. This applies to all products with the following operating systems: iOS 14.5, iPadOS 14.5, tvOS14.5 and later.
In Apple's new privacy policy, the obligation for apps to need consent to track user activity has been expanded. This means that on iOS operating systems, the possibilities for third-party applications to obtain personal data for the purpose of sending personalized advertisements have been greatly limited.
However, this does not mean that users' information is no longer collected, nor does it mean that they will not receive personalized advertising. At the same time, there are doubts about whether Apple's rules are designed to promote its own advertising service, Apple Search Ads, which could violate competition rules.
The statement also stressed that the investigation was conducted in relation to the case and not to specific companies.
![Apple's new privacy policy has been investigated by Polish agencies: questioning Apple is to promote its own advertising service[fig]](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAP///wAAACwAAAAAAQABAAACAkQBADs=)