Starting with iOS 14.5, iPadOS 14.5 and tvOS 14.5, released this week, apps must ask for permission before tracking users' activity across other companies' apps and websites for targeted advertising purposes.
On an iPhone or iPad, users can manage tracking permissions on an app-by-app basis in the Settings app under Privacy in the Tracking section. There's a setting called "Allow apps to request tracking" that applies to all apps. Any app that requests permission to track while this setting is disabled will be treated as if the user has declined tracking.
App tracking transparency: Apple lists criteria
Now Apple has launched a new support document and explained under which circumstances this area could be greyed out. The company lists the following criteria:
- For users with child accounts or those under 18 by birth year who are signed in with their Apple ID
- If your Apple ID is managed by an educational institution or uses a configuration profile that restricts tracking
- If your Apple ID was created in the last 3 days
9to5Mac previously made aware of itthat some users still see the box grayed out even when the first two circumstances listed above do not apply to them, indicating that there may be a bug or other problem.
iOS 14.5: A statement from Apple is still pending
Apple has not yet responded to requests for comment. The alleged issue remains unresolved. Some users suspect a connection between the "Ad Personalization" setting and the grayed-out "Allow apps to request tracking" option. On devices where the "Allow apps to request tracking" setting is grayed out, all apps requesting tracking are denied permission by default and, according to Apple, are prevented from accessing the device's random advertising identifier, known as IDFA. Apps are also prohibited from tracking user activity using other information that identifies users or their device, such as their email address, although this policy is not enforced on a technical level. Apple's latest App Store guidelines apply for this. As always, we will report as soon as there is any update on the matter. (Image: Apple)
