Industry association ACT – The App Association has been accused by LobbyControl of serving as a front organization for Apple’s lobbying efforts in the European Union (EU). According to transparency reports, ACT masquerades as a merger of small app developers, but more than half its budget is funded by Apple, with the association consistently advocating in the interests of Apple rather than independent stakeholders. LobbyControl argues that ACT and Apple are too closely connected, evidenced in part by their joint efforts in a recent French court case in which ACT was used to strengthen Apple’s argument of allegedly meeting the needs of small software developers.
ACT has also lobbied heavily against the Digital Markets Act, which aims to limit power abuse by large platforms. ACT confirmed that Apple funds more than 50% of the association’s budget, but declined to specify the exact amount.
The EU’s transparency register does not indicate any connections between ACT and Apple. LobbyControl and partner group Corporate Europe Observatory have protested the astroturfing by ACT, or artificially presenting itself as a grassroots organization, arguing that such information about funding sources should be mandatory. The campaigners are calling for greater transparency and have found that US platform operators often use a range of professional firms from across consulting, law and think-tank sectors to represent their interests.
