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Apple recently introduced iOS 14 and, in addition to new features, also made some changes in the area of privacy. The changes have now resulted in a new conflict with the advertising industry.
In iOS 14, Apple wants to make advertising tracking more transparent, and that doesn't suit the advertising industry at all. Advertisers like to measure the effectiveness of their ads by analyzing how many people who buy a product have seen an online ad for it. For this purpose, a cookie is placed on the user's device. As soon as the user sees an ad, the website on which the purchase is made can check the existing cookie. This also works the other way around. For example, if you have searched for a specific product, such as a backpack, the website in question can place a cookie on your device that can be read by advertising networks. You will then be shown corresponding advertisements for various backpacks. These are personalized advertisements that are usually more effective. Accordingly, advertising networks can charge significantly more money to display such ads.
iOS 14 causes headaches for the advertising industry
And here comes iOS 14 into playReuters is now reporting that a group of European digital advertising associations is criticizing Apple for requiring apps in iOS 14 to obtain additional permissions from users before they can start tracking via other apps and websites. The complaint is based on the fact that Apple has not introduced a permission standard that is required by law in Europe. The change in iOS 14 means that European users essentially have to grant the same permission twice. Firstly, there is the GDPR-compliant request and secondly, the request from Apple itself - i.e. the new pop-up. For this reason, advertisers fear that there will be an increase in rejections. According to Reuters:
Sixteen marketing associations, some backed by Facebook Inc. and Google, accused Apple of failing to comply with an advertising industry system for obtaining user consent under European data protection rules. Apps would now have to ask for permission twice, increasing the risk that users would refuse permission, the associations argued.
Facebook and Google are the largest among thousands of companies that track online consumers to understand their habits and interests and show them relevant ads.
Apple offers solution
Apple has of course responded and rejected the criticism. The reason for this is that the company offers a tool that helps advertisers measure effectiveness. It continues:
Apple engineers also said last week that the company will support a free Apple-made tool that uses anonymous, aggregated data to measure whether ad campaigns are working and that it will not trigger the pop-up.
Because it was designed not to track users, there is no need to request permission to track,” said Brandon Van Ryswyk, an Apple privacy engineer, in a video session explaining the measurement tool to developers.
Personalized advertising is received very differently. However, it is often preferred over general ads. However, there are also users who see this as an invasion of their privacy. AirPods Pro on special offer at Amazon – now for 213 Euro receivedmonthly. (Photo by Wrightstudio / Bigstockphoto)
