A French court has ruled that Apple's App Tracking Transparency feature can remain active in France, dismissing an appeal from a coalition of advertisers. The ruling comes after France's competition authority fined Apple over the feature in 2023, following a complaint from industry groups who claimed it caused a "nearly 50%" revenue shortfall.

The privacy tool, introduced in 2021, prompts users to allow apps to track them across other services. Advertisers argued it unfairly harmed their targeting capabilities, but investigations found no preferential treatment. Apple maintains the feature protects user privacy, a stance supported by data protection authorities worldwide, and notes it does not rely on user data for its own business model.

While the fine stands, the court rejected the advertisers' bid for further penalties or changes to the feature. The decision reinforces user choice in digital privacy, a key battleground in the tech industry. It also highlights the ongoing tension between platform owners like Apple and advertising networks, particularly Meta, which has openly resisted the transparency requirements.