CCI Establishes a Confidentiality Ring to Accelerate the Apple Antitrust Investigation

Ahead of the case's final hearing next year, the Competition Commission of India (CCI) has reportedly decided to put the huge tech giant behind a "confidentiality ring" as part of its stepped-up antitrust investigation into Apple. According to sources cited by a media report, the watchdog consented to establish the "confidentiality ring" last week. Before the CCI begins the lawsuit's final hearing, the action will allow the giant tech firm to examine sensitive information related to the antitrust case. The regime, which was implemented in 2022, gives parties access to private data or records pertaining to other parties in an investigation so they can better defend themselves. The confidentiality ring aids regulators in quickly resolving complaints, subject to specific riders. Apple and other chosen parties have access to sensitive, private information under the secrecy ring.

Options Available for Apple

According to media reports, Apple may be asked to respond to the CCI probe report after information is made available, at which point the hearing will start. In this situation, Apple will have four weeks to provide the information that the watchdog is requesting. The article also stated that Apple and a few other carefully chosen linked businesses will have the opportunity to physically confirm the files and information in the investigative report, and they may even receive a certified copy of those files.

The move follows rumours that the CCI denied Apple's plea to halt an antitrust investigation that exposed the massive tech giant's violations of the nation's competition laws, which circulated a month ago. Apple had argued in its petition that the non-profit Together We Fight Society (TWFS), the primary complainant, had disregarded the watchdog's orders to remove previous probe reports. In August, the CCI ordered an extraordinary recall of investigative reports after Apple alleged that the watchdog had given over trade secrets to rivals, including Match, the owner of Tinder, as part of the antitrust inquiry.

The Commission then instructed the parties to destroy all copies and return the reports. It then released fresh reports. Allegations that Apple was abusing its dominating position in the app marketplace and pressuring developers to utilise its in-app payments system prompted the watchdog to begin its probe against the corporation in 2021.

Big Tech Companies Face Strict Scanning by CCI

According to reports earlier this year, the Cupertino-based multinational tech company was found guilty of unfair trading practices and violating competition laws by the CCI internally. It is important to note that the CCI is targeting other large IT companies in addition to Apple. The authority levied two distinct fines against Google in 2022, amounting to more than INR 2,200 Cr, for misusing its market dominance in Android smartphones and for violating Play Store regulations. The social media giant Meta was also fined INR 213.14 Cr by the CCI in November of this year for abusing its power in relation to the 2021 WhatsApp privacy policy modification. Amazon and Walmart-owned Flipkart were later found to have violated competition regulations by favouring specific sellers on their platforms, according to an internal investigation by the Commission.

Apple’s Request to Stop Antitrust Probe Denied by CCI

The CCI has denied Apple’s request to halt an antitrust investigation, ensuring the probe into its market practices continues uninterrupted.

StartupTalkyNitin Konde