Launched in April 2021, the ATT feature forced every app on iPhone and iPad to ask nicely before slurping up user data for ad targeting. While Job’s Mob pitched it as a privacy win, French regulators say the way it was implemented went well beyond what was necessary and ended up shafting smaller rivals.

The French Competition Authority didn’t buy the idea that the system was neutral. Instead, it concluded that Apple gave itself a leg-up by making third-party developers bombard users with annoying pop-ups while its own ad tracking skated under the radar.

The watchdog ruled the system “excessively complex” and pointed out it hit indie app publishers the hardest—those who rely on ad revenue to survive without charging users. It also made life harder for developers trying to build sustainable businesses inside Apple’s walled garden of delights.

Apple, for its part, stuck to its script claiming that the prompt was consistent for all developers, including Apple. It claimed that ATT is about “clear, easy-to-understand” user control. And while the company’s “disappointed” by the ruling, it smugly noted that France hasn’t ordered any changes to ATT.

The €150 million fine may sound chunky, but for a company that pocketed $124 billion in just three months, it’s spare change for the carpark. Still, it’s another flare in the sky for regulators sniffing around Job’s Mob’s gatekeeping antics.