New iPhone Setting Stops Apps & Ads from Stalking You (App Tracking Transparency)

Apple App Tracking Transparency is Finally Here!

With the release of iOS 14.5, Apple has given us the most powerful privacy tool for users in many years – it’s called App Tracking Transparency (ATT). The update also includes a lot of features that have Apple product users very excited, like new Siri voices and being able to open your iPhone with Face ID even when wearing a mask—IF AND ONLY IF you have an Apple watch.

But as a privacy advocate, the element that matters the most to me is the App Tracking Transparency (ATT) feature. This means that apps like Facebook, Instagram and Google will no longer be able to track or gather your surfing habits on other apps or websites without getting your permission. For example, if you worked out on the Peloton app this morning, Facebook can buy that information and advertise exercise clothing to you based on your exercise type, size, weight, etc.

This is a serious blow to Facebook and other “free” services that depend on gathering your intimate personal and behavioral data to sell to their advertising clients. Of course, these services have never actually been free, as we have always been paying by giving them our information.

Specifically, the update changes the Identifier for Advertisers (IDFA), which is a unique random number assigned to each iPhone and allows advertisers and developers to track user behavior on that device. This includes not only app usage but also web browsing behavior that is often used to target advertisements to your psychographic profile. Apple says this change will provide transparency and give users an easier way to choose if their data is tracked.

Needless to say, Facebook, Google, and other big tech firms are not happy with the change. Facebook was so upset they placed a full-page ad in The New York Times in December claiming that the change would negatively affect small businesses who will see a drop of over 60% in sales. Facebook was unable to substantiate that claim, but their claim that it will force developers to enable in-app purchases or force subscriptions to make up for lost revenue is most likely true.

What will this look like for you as a consumer?

Basically, whenever you open any app that wants to access the IDFA, you will see a pop-up notification that asks for permission to track you across apps and websites by other companies and you’ll be able to opt in to allow tracking or not by choosing between “Allow Tracking” or “Ask App Not To Track.” Opting into data collection rather than having to opt out finally catches up with data privacy regulations such as the EU’s GDPR. It will be required by all software makers within a few months of the release.

So it comes down to a question of are you willing to pay for the extras provided by apps in order to have a little bit more privacy?

John Sileo is a privacy keynote speaker, award-winning author and media personality as seen all over TV. He keynotes conferences virtually and in person around the world. John is the CEO of The Sileo Group, a business think tank based in Colorado.