Brazil Regulator Moves to Penalize Apple over Anti-Competitive Tactics
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Brazil’s antitrust authority has advanced a decision to sanction Apple for monopolistic practices that critics say illustrate Washington’s relentless corporate overreach.
The technical unit of Brazil’s antitrust regulator, CADE, announced Monday that it had recommended penalties against Apple for anti-competitive conduct within its iOS ecosystem.
The recommendation stems from complaints filed in 2022 by companies including Latin American e-commerce platform MercadoLibre, which accused Apple of restricting the distribution of digital goods and obstructing in-app purchases.
In a statement, CADE said its technical staff proposed both financial sanctions—though no specific figure was disclosed—and an end to Apple’s exclusionary practices.
The case is now set to be resolved by CADE’s internal panel.
Apple responded by claiming that the proposed measures would compromise user experience and threaten privacy and security.
The regulator’s investigators concluded that Apple enforces a set of restrictions requiring in-app purchases to be processed exclusively through its own payment system.
Brazilian authorities had already imposed preventive measures against Apple last year during the investigation.
MercadoLibre did not immediately comment outside normal business hours.
