Data Privacy War: Apple vs Facebook
Apple’s iPhone update, iOS 14.5, brings a lot of new features. One of these features called App Tracking Transparency, pops up the privacy notification. It prompts users to give apps the permission to track their activity across other apps.
This new feature
has been in controversies lately and has caused a huge rift between Apple and
Facebook. Let’s discuss why Facebook
doesn’t seem to like the update.
Every iPhone or
iPad has IDFA (Identifiers for Advertisers) that are used by companies, like
Facebook, which sell mobile ads. They target ads based on your preferences and
data, and can even be paired with Facebook’s tracking pixels / cookies to learn
more about you. However, Apple’s new update regarding privacy pop-up
notification, will force app developers to ask permission from users to use
IDFA.
Why was Facebook against it?
This iPhone update
could directly affect the annual earnings of approximately $86 billion that
Facebook earns using targeted advertisements. It argued that this will affect
small businesses which depend on advertisements for their earnings. Facebook
even went PR offensive and took out advertisements in New York Times and Wall
Street Journal. These advertisements featured small businesses talking about
how they were able to survive the pandemic because of targeted ads and how the
new App Tracking Transparency feature would harm them.
Facebook CEO
Mark Zuckerberg said, “Apple may say that they are doing this to help people,
but the moves clearly track their competitive interests”. Facebook also claimed
that Apple will take a cut by forcing businesses to turn to subscriptions and
other in-app payments for revenue.
Why is Apple bringing this feature?
Back in 2010,
Apple co-founder Steve Jobs acknowledged that some people did not care about
how much data they shared, but they should be aware and informed about how it
was being used.
“Privacy means
people know what they’re signing up for, in plain English and repeatedly… ask
them, ask them every time”, he said.
Also, Apple CEO Tim Cook said, “Users should have the choice over the data that is being collected about them and how it’s used.”
Conclusion
In one of its
latest blogs, Facebook appeared to accept the privacy changes in new iOS 14.5
and it promised “new advertiser experiences and measurement protocols”.
Facebook also admitted that the way digital advertisers collect and use
information needed to evolve.
Sources:
- https://m.economictimes.com/tech/technology/apple-iphone-privacy-update-seen-hurting-facebook-revenue-in-second-quarter/articleshow/82268691.cms
- https://www.cnet.com/news/facebook-vs-apple-heres-what-you-need-to-know-about-their-privacy-feud/
- https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-56831241
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