Latest iOS update, privacy and Facebook.

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The issue of our privacy on the Internet is an issue that raises many emotions. An equally high-profile issue is the debate about its violation by various applications. The topic is definitely not transparent, or at least it has not always been. The number of incidents of data breaches continues to increase, and with it, individual users’ concerns about their own data and privacy regarding their activity on the internet. Despite the awareness that such processing should not take place without our consent, there are many examples that our consent does not always play a significant role. Our vigilance was aroused specifically after the not so distant scandal at Cambridge Analytica.

Following our activity on the Internet raises a lot of emotions, but it is also certainly something we have been living with for a long time. The use of some data, of course with the consent of the user, is a very important business driver. It allows businesses to target specific ads and content at different users based on their interests. And as such, they make a lot of profit.  As long as it is  all clad in a specific legal framework, as long as we know how and what for is  our data  used and also how important role our consent plays in each matter it should be just fine.

In the view of the aforementioned, the latest iOS update seems very interesting. On Monday, Apple launched iOS 14.3 and with it an interesting feature appeared in App Store. From now on, any tracking will be or at least should be much more transparent for users. Thanks to this App Store update, before installing the application, we will be able to see a detailed list of how and what for  our data can be used by the application, how ‘developers may handle our data’.

Until now, probably everyone was aware that by installing the application, we allow access to some data, but the ability to see the entire detailed list will definitely open the eyes of many users.  As an example, below I present the list regarding Facebook.

 

From now on, everyone whose application is or will be in App Store will have to disclose information about collecting targeting data and seek for user consent.  This App Tracking Transparency did raise some tension, especially in the earlier mentioned Facebook circles. We cannot deny, that transparency regarding this issue is extremely important and every user has the right to know when his data is collected, for what purposes and what happens to it next. According to Apple, this option is simply about giving the user a possibility to make a more informed choice not about blocking apps from creating and targeting personalized ads. Simply saying, Apple decided to take some more steps to protect internet users, whose data is clearly becoming the currency of the internet nowadays.

However, Facebook looks at this option, requirement completely different. Facebook, regarding this matter, presented itself as a defendant of small businesses , claiming that this transparency feature will cause a lot of damage to them. They did not like it that this information about tracking and expressing consent is so transparent and easy to obtain in comparison with what was before.  They even created an ad, which was posted in the Washington Post, New York Times and Wall Street Journal and carried the  headline; “We’re standing up to Apple for small businesses everywhere”. They claimed there that this feature is ‘limiting businesses ability to run personalized ads and reach customers effectively’. They also shared their concerns that without personalized apps ‘ average small business advertiser stands to see a cut of over 60 % in their sales for every dollar they spend’. The thing is, that this statistics comes from their own data…

The uproar that this update has caused in Facebook circles is actually not that shocking but it certainly does send a clear message. Through their statements it may seem that the passing intention is not so much to protect small businesses but to save themselves from having to resign from collecting as much data as possible and therefore making the biggest possible profit out of it and all of this without much transparency. It seems that the statement about Facebook having lack of respect for the privacy of users is not so inadequate in the context of their sharp statements and protests.

Of course, we cannot deny that user data is often critical to business, but obtaining it cannot be done according to the principle that the purpose justifies the means. First things first, users consent is absolutely required. Therefore, this update, App Tracking Transparency is a huge reminder about who the data belongs to, how important they are and also it is a huge step for obtaining a healthy balance between advertising methods and privacy.

 

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-12-16/facebook-attacks-apple-s-ios-changes-in-full-page-newspaper-ads

https://www.slashgear.com/apple-responds-to-facebook-its-about-standing-up-for-users-16651500/

https://www.zdnet.com/article/apple-now-shows-you-all-the-ways-ios-apps-track-you/

https://mashable.com/article/apple-ios-134-update-app-store-privacy-facebook/?europe=true

 

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