Tech

96% of US users opt out of app tracking in iOS 14.5, analytics find

Enlarge / The Facebook iPhone app asks for permission to track the user in this early mock-up of the prompt made by Apple. (credit: Apple) It seems that in the United States, at least, app developers and advertisers who rely on targeted mobile advertising for revenue are seeing their worst fears realized: Analytics data published […]

Tech

Google of illegally tracking Android users, according to new complaint

Austrian privacy activist Max Schrems has filed a complaint against Google in France alleging that the US tech giant is illegally tracking users on Android phones without their consent. Android phones generate unique advertising codes, similar to Apple’s Identifier for Advertisers (IDFA), that allow Google and third parties to track users’ browsing behavior in order […]

Tech

As Apple app-tracking change nears, Chinese tech firms fight back

Apple CEO Tim Cook on stage during an Apple event in September 2018. (credit: Valentina Palladino) With Apple’s big app-tracking policy change just around the corner, Chinese companies drew a warning from Cupertino that their efforts to circumvent the change will not be successful. At the same time, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg appeared to shift […]

Tech

TikTok wants to keep tracking iPhone users with state-backed workaround

Enlarge (credit: Ivan Abreu | Bloomberg | Getty Images) Some of China’s biggest technology companies, including ByteDance and Tencent, are testing a tool to bypass Apple’s new privacy rules and continue tracking iPhone users without their consent to serve them targeted mobile advertisements. Apple is expected in the coming weeks to roll out changes it […]

Tech

Zuckerberg responds to Apple’s privacy policies: “We need to inflict pain”

Enlarge / Facebook co-founder, chairman, and CEO Mark Zuckerberg departs after testifying before a combined Senate Judiciary and Commerce Committee hearing in the Hart Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill, April 10, 2018, in Washington, DC. (credit: Win McNamee/Getty Images) Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg told employees close to him, “we need to inflict pain” on […]

Tech

Not just Facebook: Snap, Unity warn Apple’s tracking change threatens business

Snapchat on an iPhone. (credit: Maurizio Pesce) Social media company Snap (which runs Snapchat) and game development software company Unity have joined Facebook in warning their investors that Apple’s imminent ad-tracking change will negatively impact their businesses. As previously reported, Apple plans to use the next iOS update (iOS 14.5, due out in early spring) […]

Tech

Facebook makes the case for activity tracking to iOS 14 users in new pop-ups

Enlarge / The two messages Facebook users will see in this test. On the left, Facebook’s prompt, and on the right, the one required by Apple. (credit: CNBC) Today, Facebook began testing prompts to iPhone and iPad users championing the importance of being tracked by the social network for the benefit of small businesses that […]

Tech

Why Facebook and Apple are going to war over privacy

Enlarge / Apple CEO Tim Cook delivers a speech on privacy at a virtual conference. (credit: CPDP) Today, Apple announced plans to finally roll out its previously delayed change in policy on apps’ use of IDFA (ID for Advertisers) to track users for targeted advertising. The feature will be in the next beta release of […]