PARIS — France’s antitrust watchdog fined Apple $162 million Monday over a privacy feature protecting users from apps snooping on them because its introduction resulted in abuse of a competition law.

Apple rolled out its App Tracking Transparency in April 2021 as part of an update to the operating system powering the iPhone and iPad. The feature forces apps to obtain permission before collecting data to target users with personalized ads. While the feature was designed to tighten up privacy, it faced criticism from Big Tech rivals that it made it harder for smaller apps to survive without charging consumers.

The watchdog said the feature’s rollout resulted in users being barraged by pop-ups from third-party apps requesting their consent. — Associated Press