forcing transparency from app developers on exactly what data is being tracked and shared with advertising partners. Rather than relying on ive agreements through lengthy of Service agreements, s must now consent to each form of data being tracked. Apps that fail to disclose their tracking are subject to rejection, which appears to be exactly what has started happening on April 1.
The shift is part of Apple’s new App Tracking Transparency rules announced at WWDC in June of last year. These new rules force app developers to disclose the types of information gathered by their app through “nutrition labels” clearly displayed on the App Store. These privacy labels break down data gathering into “Data Used to Track You” and “Data Linked to You” and include sections such as info, location, financial info, purchases, and browsing history. Beginning with iOS 14.5, set to release this spring, before the app can function, s must agree to each of these sections, forcing active consent and raising awareness of what data each app is actually gathering.
Apple appears not to have taken kindly to apps that are intentionally or otherwise attempting to circumvent its new privacy rules. A report by Forbes sheds light on a recent round of rejections related to secretive tracking that byes consent. The apps rejected all seem to be related to a software development kit called Adjust which allows developers to create a “device fingerprint.” Note that this isn’t related to the ’s fingerprint but instead creates a unique set of identifiers related to the device itself, such as location and usage patterns. This information can then be used to provide a unique picture of the , accomplishing a very similar end to the personalized tracking that s would usually need to consent to. Adjust claims to be trusted by more than 50,000 apps, but the scale of these rejections remains unclear.
Is App Tracking Transparency Trustworthy?
Apple’s App Tracking Transparency rules are a good first step toward protecting s — so much so that Google may follow Apple’s lead — but there’s still a lot of room for improvement. One of the biggest benefits is that consumers will now have a much clearer picture of what personally identifiable information is being tracked. Much of this information has been available in of Service contracts; however, few s actually take the time to read lengthy agreements when all they want to do is connect with friends or dip into a quick app. Placing this information upfront empowers s to make more informed choices about which apps they choose to engage with.
Despite the intent, however, the rollout has been less than stellar. Those privacy “nutrition labels” are filled out by the developers themselves and seem to be reacted to rather than proactively monitored. Likewise, other major apps like TikTok have reportedly been investigating ways to by App Tracking Transparency rules altogether by using similar methods to Adjust. Given the incredibly profitable nature of targeted advertising, these attempts at workarounds are only likely to continue.
It is undoubtedly good that an industry-shaping company like Apple is making meaningful steps on transparency among data-gathering apps. The move puts pressure on Google to follow suit and should similar changes arrive in the Google Play Store, the mobile landscape will have changed overall. The demand for data isn’t going anywhere soon, however. As always, the wisest course will be for s to assume that apps, Apple or otherwise, are tracking and collecting their data, and choose s carefully.
Source: Forbes