iOS 14's Upcoming Anti-Tracking Prompt Sparks Antitrust Complaint in France

Starting early next year, iOS 14 will require apps to get opt-in permission from users to collect their random advertising identifier, which advertisers use to deliver personalized ads and track how effective their campaigns were.

ios 14 tracking permission prompt
Ahead of this change, The Wall Street Journal reports that advertising companies and publishers have filed a complaint against Apple with France's competition authority, arguing that the enhanced privacy measures would be anticompetitive.

According to the report, the complaint alleges that the wording of Apple's permission prompt will lead most users to decline tracking of their device's advertising identifier, which could result in lost revenue. In August, Facebook warned advertisers that the prompt could lead to a more than 50 percent drop in Audience Network publisher revenue.

In a statement, Apple reiterated its belief that "privacy is a fundamental right," adding that "a user's data belongs to them and they should get to decide whether to share their data and with whom." Apple said that its own data collection doesn't count as tracking because it doesn't share the data with other companies.

Apple already delayed the introduction of the prompt until early 2021 to provide developers with more time to make the necessary changes. In a statement in September, Apple said the prompt will be displayed on an app-by-app basis:

We believe technology should protect users' fundamental right to privacy, and that means giving users tools to understand which apps and websites may be sharing their data with other companies for advertising or advertising measurement purposes, as well as the tools to revoke permission for this tracking. When enabled, a system prompt will give users the ability to allow or reject that tracking on an app-by-app basis. We want to give developers the time they need to make the necessary changes, and as a result, the requirement to use this tracking permission will go into effect early next year.

In the meantime, users who do not want apps to be able to access their device's advertising identifier can go to Settings > Privacy > Tracking and toggle off Allow Apps to Request to Track.

Apple's developer website offers more information about the upcoming prompt.

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Related Forum: iOS 14

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Top Rated Comments

VermontsFinest Avatar
62 months ago
"Advertising companies and publishers have filed a complaint against Apple with France's competition authority, arguing that the enhanced privacy measures would be anticompetitive"

Because our data can't be mined for profit unless we consent it is anticompetitive? Give me a break, Zuckerberg & friends.

Seriously, one of the best things about Apple is how much they value privacy. I thank them for doing this.
Score: 67 Votes (Like | Disagree)
!!! Avatar
62 months ago
So we're ignoring the actual monopoly here (Google) and claiming Apple's wording (which is true) is anticompetitive, despite Apple being a company that doesn't even track its users or serve many ads?
Score: 33 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Stridder44 Avatar
62 months ago
Anticomeptative? Bahahaha, get eff'd
Score: 32 Votes (Like | Disagree)
AngerDanger Avatar
62 months ago

arguing that the enhanced privacy measures would be anticompetitive
If your only means of competing is collecting users' personal information, maybe sit this competition out.
Score: 32 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ruka.snow Avatar
62 months ago
These companies are free to find non shady ways to make money. Perhaps putting a price on a app and re-educating people that keep expecting everything to be bloody free on $1000 phones.
Score: 25 Votes (Like | Disagree)
icanhazmac Avatar
62 months ago

Completely blocking tracking, such that ad networks can't get any info about users at all, will only kill the quality of ads
So what? I don't want to be tracked.

thus kill revenue for a lot of independent app developers
So what? I don't want to be tracked, find another way to monetize your work.
Score: 24 Votes (Like | Disagree)