A group led by activist Max Schrems on Monday filed complaints in Germany and Spain over the firm's online tracking tool.

Schrems is known for winning two landmark legal cases against Facebook.

Now his group says iPhones are storing users data without their consent.

There was no immediate comment on the news from Apple, but the tech giant maintains that it offers users a superior level of privacy protection.

The complaint center on a tracking code that is automatically generated on every iPhone when it is set up.

That allows Apple and advertisers to track the user's online behavior vital in allowing the likes off Facebook to target advertising.

But the activists say that is a clear breach off the E.

U's E privacy directive, which requires consent before the installation and use off such a code.

Apple had plan to tighten privacy rules in its latest operating system, IOS 14, but the change has been delayed until early next year, and activists say the new rules won't solve the problem anyway.

They would only restrict third party access to data, not apples.

Now, the activists say they want to establish a clear precedent that tracking should be the exception, not the rule.

National regulators also have the power to fine Apple if they decide that it breached the privacy directive.