Analytics Suggest 96% of Users Leave App Tracking Disabled in iOS 14.5

[McKodiak]

I leave the setting to ask me mainly because I want to know what sheisty app is trying to track me across apps.

Logic plays out in people's decisions. I imagine most people cannot predict their own behavior on their devices in the future, what new apps they will install and what data would be necessary to get the new apps entire benefit. With so many unknowns, it's safer to just deny access to app tracking. At a base level, most people would prefer to save money. They know that allowing app tracking for targeted ads would lead to interest in purchasing junk. It's better for the wallet to deny access to app tracking for advertising.

 

[DesignTime]

Data collecting for users who don’t want their data collected. Wow I love all these new features “helping keep your data private”. What a lie. I want the right to be invisible.

 

[ghostface147]

Most of my apps haven’t asked.

 

[lenard]

They need to pay me for free advertising, like the pay other media outlets...

 

[swm]

let's wait and see how this thing impacts the next financial quarter of Facebook and all the "small businesses" they vowed to protect

 

[Rafagon]

How is it that Flurry has access to see whether I've enabled or disabled this setting?

I don't remember allowing sites that I don't even visit to determine whether I have a given setting enabled or not.

 

[AppleInLVX]

Slightly off topic, but the question I have (never having received a request to track, even when I turned the ability for apps to ask), is, if you've ever had this on, you've pretty much given the app your ID for the device (unless you have a purple iPhone, which I understand randomizes this), haven't you? At that point, they've got your ID number and can use it regardless of if you allow tracking because it doesn't change until you get a new device? They may *SAY* they won't, but they have the number, not?

 

[thebeans]

Why would anyone ever choose to turn on tracking? Open to any use cases....

You are going to see ads on any case. Would you rather see ads that relate to your interests or random ads?

 

[nStyle]

Mine apparently wasn't off by default. Maybe it asks when booting up after the update but I don't remember.

 

[Le Big Mac]

Because you can't switch what you don't know about, which means most people will have the option in its default state not because they've made a choice, but because they don't know there's a choice to be made.

That was true before too, when a lot of people didn't know you could toggle it off.

Seems like the only possible complaint is "Apple didn't specifically alert users that allowing apps to ask to track you is turned off by default, but you can turn it on in settings." But again, they didn't tell people that you could turn tracking off in settings in versions before 14.5.

 

[Dr_Dre]

Meanwhile MacRumors relies on the same ads to stay in business.

Maybe it's because I am an android user, but I could care less if I see ads that are targeted to me. when I look at my friends iPhones ads, all I see is singles in his area ads (plot twist he is married)

 

[Dr_Dre]

I would like to speak to this 4% and ask why they want to be tracked all over the internet.

It doesn't bother me, I have actually bought some cool stuff based on ads 😝
Plus an internet without ads is a scary place, everything would cost (even MacRumors)

 

[scuac]

Data collecting for users who don’t want their data collected. Wow I love all these new features “helping keep your data private”. What a lie. I want the right to be invisible.

You want to be invisible? That’s easy, just need to get this accessory for your phone and no one will be able to track you again:

SPEED FORCE Chipper Shredder

Engine Parameters: Maximum Speed: 3850±150rpm ldle Speed: 2150±50rpm Compression: 8.5:1 Displacement: 208cc Cast iron sleeve: yes Bore and stroke: 70mm x 54mm Fuel(DO NOT USE E85): regular unleaded gasoline Compression release: yes Dry weight: 36.0 lbs low oil shut off: if equipped Fue...

smile.amazon.com

 

[Unregistered 4U]

Data collecting for users who don’t want their data collected. Wow I love all these new features “helping keep your data private”. What a lie. I want the right to be invisible.

Posting to public forums is one of the sure fire ways to not be invisible, though. There ARE folks that see being invisible online as VERY important. There’s lots of them out there, but they’re not going to pop in and say, “OH yeah, I’ve been invisible for 14 years now!” and spoil their record

 

[Unregistered 4U]

How is it that Flurry has access to see whether I've enabled or disabled this setting?

I don't remember allowing sites that I don't even visit to determine whether I have a given setting enabled or not.

It makes sense that they may have a baseline on how many iOS devices were accepting ads willy nilly before the change and are comparing the two. I’d guess it’s not so much that they know, they probably “NOT” know.

 

[Unregistered 4U]

Meanwhile MacRumors relies on the same ads to stay in business.

Maybe it's because I am an android user, but I could care less if I see ads that are targeted to me. when I look at my friends iPhones ads, all I see is singles in his area ads (plot twist he is married)

Heh, you don’t know what sites your friend visits when you’re not looking over their shoulder 😈

 

[Lemon Olive]

I enabled it.
Because there is absolutely positively no negative consequence of doing so whatsoever.

 

[CTHarrryH]

I think a great deal of the problem is that people don't understand the setting and what on/off means. I think if we asked the 95% we'd get all sorts of answers.

 

[Rafagon]

Slightly off topic, but the question I have (never having received a request to track, even when I turned the ability for apps to ask), is, if you've ever had this on, you've pretty much given the app your ID for the device (unless you have a purple iPhone, which I understand randomizes this), haven't you? At that point, they've got your ID number and can use it regardless of if you allow tracking because it doesn't change until you get a new device? They may *SAY* they won't, but they have the number, not?

They ID that they get is your device's IDFA (Identifier for Advertising), not your serial number.

 

[AppleInLVX]

They ID that they get is your device's IDFA (Identifier for Advertising), not your serial number.

Yes, but that's a static number, isn't it? Is it tied to the device, or the Apple ID? My confusion is if the IDFA is shared once, that pretty much means it's 'out there' and usable, doesn't it?

 

[tgwaste]

I still say the wording in the setting is confusing.
If I have it off does that mean apps WILL NOT track me or that apps WILL NOT ASK to track me?
Those two things are not the same.

 

[LiquidJay]

I had it disabled out interest.
I just wanted to know which app had the audacity to ask me in the first place. Then I deleted the least important ones.

Same ... I love say no to tracking

 

[mazz0]

That was true before too, when a lot of people didn't know you could toggle it off.

But it's not what has frequently been described.

What we had before:
Nobody knew about it, and it didn't aks, so tracking was on for almost everyone. This was easy to argue against, you just had to be against tracking.

What headlines led us to believe was coming:
People would start being aksed, app by app, whether to allow tracking. This is hard to argue against, as every individual makes the choice themselves.

What we actually have:
Nobody knows about it, and it didn't aks, so tracking is off for almost everyone*. This is easy to argue against, you just have to be pro-tracking.


*maybe - though maybe not, some people are reporting Allow To Aks is on for them by default

 

[Dr_Dre]

Heh, you don’t know what sites your friend visits when you’re not looking over their shoulder 😈

😂

 

[shmob]

Facebook doesn’t get it. We’re not loyal to them.

I wish Apple would make a social network like Facebook was when it first started. No companies, just people.

Lol, so, you wish Apple made an app that only allows person to person communication… hmmm. Yes, they did. It’s called Messages and it’s just texting.