Apple has been fined €150 million ($162.42 million) by French antitrust regulators for allegedly abusing its dominant position in mobile app advertising between 2021 and 2023. The fine is the first to be imposed on Apple over its App Tracking Transparency (ATT) tool.
While the tool, which allows iPhone and iPad users to control app tracking, is not criticised itself, the French competition watchdog claimed its implementation was excessive and not proportional to its goal of protecting personal data.
The French regulators stated that ATT particularly harmed smaller publishers, who rely heavily on third-party data for their business. Despite the fine, Apple was not required to modify the ATT tool.
The decision follows complaints from online advertisers, publishers, and internet networks, who accused Apple of misusing its market power. Apple expressed disappointment with the fine but noted that no changes to the tool were mandated.
The fine comes after a €1.8 billion penalty last year from the EU, which accused Apple of restricting music streaming competitors. Additionally, the German antitrust agency has launched a probe into Apple for allegedly giving itself preferential treatment with the same privacy tool.
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The US is just days away from imposing a ban on TikTok unless a deal is struck with its Chinese parent company ByteDance. The ban, set to take effect on Saturday, would affect 170 million American users of the popular app.
However, President Donald Trump has expressed confidence that an agreement will be reached in time. He extended the deadline from January to April 5 to give ByteDance more time to find a non-Chinese buyer for TikTok’s US operations.
Trump mentioned that there is significant interest from potential buyers, with private equity firm Blackstone reportedly evaluating a minority investment in TikTok’s US business.
The discussions are centred on ByteDance’s existing non-Chinese shareholders, including Susquehanna International Group and General Atlantic. Washington’s main concern is that TikTok’s ownership by ByteDance allows the Chinese government to potentially influence the app and collect data on Americans.
Despite the pressure, TikTok has yet to comment on the situation. If no agreement is reached by the deadline, TikTok faces the risk of being banned, though the app would remain on users’ devices if already installed. However, new users would not be able to download it.
The app is already banned in countries like India over similar national security concerns.
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BlackRock’s launch of its European Bitcoin exchange-traded product (ETP) is considered a major moment in Bitcoin’s global adoption. Analysts, however, expect more modest inflows compared to its US counterpart.
The iShares Bitcoin ETP began trading on 25 March on Xetra, Euronext Amsterdam, and Euronext Paris, allowing European investors to gain exposure to Bitcoin.
Bitfinex analysts noted that the product is unlikely to mirror the success of the US-based iShares Bitcoin Trust exchange-traded fund (ETF). They pointed out that the US ETFs benefited from institutional demand and a larger capital market.
BlackRock’s global reputation and substantial assets under management may drive further interest in Bitcoin investment products across Europe.
Despite expectations of lower inflows, the company’s presence in the market may lead to long-term success. As regulatory clarity improves, more institutional capital may enter the crypto space.
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The European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority (EIOPA) has proposed that insurance firms must fully back their cryptocurrency holdings with capital. The recommendations are intended to address the ‘inherent risks and high volatility’ associated with digital assets.
EIOPA presented four regulatory options, with its preferred choice requiring insurers to assume a total loss on crypto holdings. It would mean a far stricter standard than those applied to traditional assets such as stocks and real estate.
Stocks face capital charges ranging from 39% to 49% under existing solvency capital regulations. In contrast, real estate is subject to a lower charge of 25%.
The proposed measure aims to bridge a regulatory gap between the Capital Requirements Regulation (CRR) and the Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA). EIOPA stated that an 80% stress level for crypto holdings would not be ‘sufficiently prudent’.
Luxembourg and Sweden could be the most affected if the proposal is adopted. They account for the largest share of crypto-related insurance undertakings in Europe.
Despite crypto holdings currently making up just 0.0068% of total insurance-related assets in the EU, EIOPA stressed the potential for future growth and the need for stringent safeguards.
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Fashion retailer H&M is set to introduce AI-generated ‘twins’ of 30 real-life models, which will be used in social media and marketing campaigns. The company says this move, made in collaboration with Swedish tech firm Uncut, explores new creative possibilities while preserving a ‘human-centric’ approach.
H&M has emphasised that models will maintain control over how their digital replicas are used, including receiving payment similar to traditional modelling contracts. However, the announcement has sparked backlash across the fashion industry.
Critics, including influencer Morgan Riddle, fear that AI models could take away job opportunities from photographers, stylists, and other production crew. Trade unions like Equity have voiced concern over the lack of legal protections for models, warning that some are being pushed into unfair contracts that compromise their rights and ownership over their image.
The company says AI-generated images will be clearly marked and used responsibly, complying with platform rules on disclosing synthetic content. H&M is not alone in testing the waters—other fashion brands such as Levi’s and Hugo Boss have also experimented with AI-generated visuals, prompting debates about the future of creative jobs in the industry.
Why does it matter?
While H&M highlights potential upsides like less travel and increased flexibility for models, union leaders insist stronger protections and industry-wide agreements are urgently needed to prevent exploitation in the evolving digital fashion landscape.
Google Maps has added a new AI-powered feature using Gemini that scans your phone’s screenshots to help plan holidays. It identifies locations from saved screenshots and suggests related spots within the app.
Called the “screenshot list,” the AI tool pulls out text from images and lets users save destinations into shareable lists. For now, it works only on iOS, with Android support on the way.
Privacy is a key focus, with all processing done on-device and the feature requiring manual activation. Google is also rolling out hotel price drop alerts and personalised trip plans via Search.
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TSMC says future chip factories in the US will take two years or less to complete, a big step forward from the five years needed for its first Arizona plant. The goal is to narrow the technology gap with its cutting-edge Taiwanese fabs.
While the first US fab makes chips on a 4nm process, TSMC aims to start 3nm production in 2028 and reach 2nm ‘before 2030.’ This would bring American output closer to the most advanced nodes used in Taiwan.
For Apple, which relies heavily on TSMC, the move reduces geopolitical risks tied to China–Taiwan tensions. Critics, however, point out that all R&D remains in Taiwan, limiting the US’s chances of true semiconductor leadership.
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EU Tech Commissioner Henna Virkkunen has voiced support for using a Regulation, rather than a Directive, in the upcoming Digital Networks Act.
She says this would ensure consistent implementation across all member states, avoiding the patchwork seen under current telecom rules.
Virkkunen also hinted at easing merger rules and reducing ex-ante regulation within the existing framework, the European Electronic Communications Code.
These changes, she noted, could encourage investment and help the EU meet its goal of full 5G and fibre coverage by 2030.
She criticised slow national efforts to phase out high-risk Chinese components from 5G networks, calling for stronger action.
Her stance follows pressure from MEPs concerned about ongoing cybersecurity risks and lack of enforcement.
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Korean authorities say no decision has been made on when China’s DeepSeek AI app can resume operations in the country. The app was suspended last month due to concerns over its data handling practices.
Talks are ongoing between the Personal Information Protection Commission in Korea and DeepSeek, which recently appointed a local representative and pledged to comply with Korean privacy law.
DeepSeek is considered a key player in the Korean market, but officials stress that any resumption will depend on satisfactory privacy safeguards. No timeline has been set for lifting the suspension.
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Microsoft has scrapped plans for over 2GW of data centre leases in the US and Europe, signalling a strategic shift in its AI infrastructure support.
The move appears linked to scaled-back OpenAI workloads and concerns over market oversupply.
The decision has sent shockwaves through US tech markets, with shares of AI players like Nvidia and Dell taking hits. Bitcoin mining stocks also slumped by up to 12%, as hopes for sustained AI-driven demand dimmed.
While Microsoft steps back, Google and Meta are ramping up their own capacity, trying to fill the gap.
Analysts warn that crypto miners, already facing profitability pressure, may need to rethink their business models in light of this new reality.
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