Comment: Facebook has changed my mind on App Tracking
I have always seemed to be one of the few people in the tech world who had no objection to App Tracking, but Facebook has finally succeeded in changing my mind.
Just not in quite the way the company intended …
Expand Expanding CloseReport: 10,000 apps have already enabled App Tracking Transparency; most of them are games
The long-awaited App Tracking Transparency feature became available to iPhone and iPad users this week with the release of iOS 14.5, and users can now opt out of being tracked by third-party apps. Now, app analysis firm AppFigures has revealed some statistics on the adoption of this feature.
Expand Expanding CloseAd industry execs say Apple ad sales now get an unfair advantage
Ad industry execs are accusing Apple of applying different privacy rules to itself, giving Apple ad sales an unfair advantage over third-party ad networks. The accusation could add yet another angle for antitrust investigations into the company.
iOS 14.5 means that users now get the option of opting out of ad tracking, which makes it impossible to serve personalized ads to them. That matters because app developers can charge more for targeted ads. But Apple can still serve personalized ads even if iPhone users choose to block all app tracking…
Expand Expanding ClosePoll: Are you allowing or blocking app tracking, now that you have the choice?
iOS 14.5 finally landed yesterday after what seemed like a never-ending series of betas, bringing with it the option of blocking app tracking. Well, for most people, anyway.
We explained earlier what the two options mean …
Expand Expanding CloseFollowing iOS 14.5 release, Apple details App Tracking Transparency in new video
Apple today finally released iOS 14.5 to the public, which comes with the long-awaited App Tracking Transparency feature. With this new option available in the iOS settings, users can opt-out of being tracked by third-party apps across other apps and websites. To further highlight this new feature, the company has now shared a new video explaining how App Tracking Transparency works.
Expand Expanding CloseApp Tracking Transparency leads to antitrust complaint in Germany
Apple’s App Tracking Transparency policy, expected to come into force shortly, has led to an antitrust complaint in Germany from some of the largest media, tech, and ad companies in the country. It follows a similar complaint in France last month.
The companies behind the complaint say that app developers could see their ad revenue fall by 60%, and also claim that consumers will pay more for apps …
Expand Expanding CloseNYTimes details how Apple’s privacy focus drove a wedge between Tim Cook and Mark Zuckerberg
With iOS 14.5, which Apple will release today, iPhone owners will have the option to explicitly choose whether to let apps like Facebook track them across other apps. A new profile from the New York Times today elaborates on how Mark Zuckerberg and Tim Cook became foes due to Apple’s privacy push.
Expand Expanding CloseTim Cook to talk Parler, Facebook, and more in Kara Swisher interview on Monday [update: now available]
Update: The full podcast interview with Tim Cook and Kara Swisher is now available.
Apple’s CEO Tim Cook will give an interview to The New York Times’ Kara Swisher on Monday, according to a tweet by the journalist. In the interview, the two will discuss the right-wing social app Parler and Apple’s feud with Facebook.
Expand Expanding CloseSnap has tested workaround to App Tracking Transparency; 95% effective
Snapchat owner Snap has tested a workaround to App Tracking Transparency to try to match users to the ads they have seen.
Snap says that it will discontinue the tests once the new privacy rule comes into effect, but that it believes there are other steps it can take without breaking Apple’s rules…
Expand Expanding CloseApp Store now rejecting apps using third-party SDKs that collect user data without consent
iOS 14 has brought several new privacy features, and there are more to come with App Tracking Transparency — which will let users opt out of being tracked by apps. As the launch of this new option approaches, Apple has begun to reject apps using third-party SDKs that collect user data without consent.
Expand Expanding CloseApple’s App Tracking Transparency policy not anti-competitive, but French investigation continues
Update: Apple has made the following statement to 9to5Mac regarding this situation:
“We’re grateful to the French Competition Authority for recognizing that App Tracking Transparency in iOS 14 is in the best interest of French iOS users. ATT will provide a powerful user privacy benefit by requiring developers to ask users’ permission before sharing their data with other companies for the purposes of advertising, or with data brokers. We firmly believe that users’ data belongs to them, and that they should control when that data is shared, and with whom. We look forward to further engagement with the FCA on this critical matter of user privacy and competition.”
A complaint in France that Apple’s App Tracking Transparency policy was anti-competitive has seen the Cupertino company win the first round.
The country’s antitrust regulator has ruled that Apple’s decision to require apps to obtain user consent for ad tracking “doesn’t appear to be abusive.” That does not, however, end the matter …
Expand Expanding CloseZuckerberg accuses Apple of having ‘incentive to interfere’ with Facebook for competitive reasons
Mark Zuckerberg can’t keep Apple out of his head. While Apple pushes more aggressive customer privacy protection features on its platform, the Facebook CEO is decrying Apple’s efforts as competitive interference with the social network.
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