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Apple Has Quietly Started Tracking iPhone Users Again, And It's Tricky To Opt Out
- Thread starter sasasule
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That's not quite true. This thread is about a advertising ID that can be used by any advertiser within apps from the App Store. iAd has a separate opt out method (oo.apple.com).
You were correct that safari cookies can still be used for tracking within the browser.
Hopefully you're joking.
Reminds me of that South Park episode... The Human CentiPad, or I agreed to the Apple license by accident!
Actually, Android has the same option. It's in the Play Market app settings. Been there since at least early 2011. Same as Apple, Google uses an anonymous temporary id instead of the device id.
Personally I agree with those who think that, as long as I'm going to see ads, it's better to get ads I might be interested in. Your tastes may vary.
As for web based ads, go find your personal Google Dashboard online (Google it!). You can also turn off things there, view your profile on record, and even delete old interests so you don't get ads for them.
Knowledge is power.
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ehh who cares. not like they're gonna steal from us, we're just peasants to them.
or am i missing something
or am i missing something
Good stuff kdarling, sheesh Android was never was made a big deal in the press so I never knew this. Been ad tracking my work tablet till today!
I stumbled on this function within the first few hours of i5. I was trying to allow FaceBook access to my photos and I came across it. I just turned it on.
It's not a big deal.
It's not a big deal.
Good information and good to know--personally I am going to let it stay in default position since I don't mind ads and if I'm going to get ads they might as well be targeted ads. Might find something I like. 
Let's stick it to the man by turning off interest based ads! Yeah that'll show him! I'd rather receive ads about stuff I don't care about rather than stuff that I like!
this is interesting! Thanx...
need more info on what this extra and hidden setting does...
That's not the same option. That only disables tracking from Google and Admob ads. Apple's option disables tracking by any advertiser.
Thank you for the reminder. I had set this to "on" on my 4S, but forgot about it with my 5. I checked after reading the article and low and behold it was set to the default "off" position...bastardos...
It sounds like most people think this will magically stop the ads or stop "tracking". It won't. The toggle itself only a "limit" ad tracking. You're still going to receive ads they just won't be relevant to you. If you still use find my iPhone or maps, you're still basically allowing Apple to see where your phone is. They aren't using this information to see your every move. It's not Big Brother.
As others have mentioned I never understand users paranoia when it comes to user Ad tracking.
All this does it tell advertisers what apps you use and what you like, it has nothing to do with personal information and its all anonymous.
Your obviously downloading apps with ads in them so they are going to be there whether they are targeted or not, so why not just get targeting ads that might actually give you audience to something you might be interested in?
Your able to download a free app for a reason, and if you have an issue with this simply dont download apps with ads and go pay for the full version.
All this does it tell advertisers what apps you use and what you like, it has nothing to do with personal information and its all anonymous.
Your obviously downloading apps with ads in them so they are going to be there whether they are targeted or not, so why not just get targeting ads that might actually give you audience to something you might be interested in?
Your able to download a free app for a reason, and if you have an issue with this simply dont download apps with ads and go pay for the full version.
All of you who are complaining which is better or worse are all acting silly.
It's a toggle-able feature for a reason. Some people like Interest Based AD's, some don't.
I personally disable the tracking, not based on the fact that I want to see irrelevant ad's rather than relevant, but because I would RATHER not have my PRIVACY tracked, period. The good thing as that the people who are really knowledgeable about people's interest understand this and provide the option to decide as a user what you want.
If you don't mind being tracked and targeted on interests, by all means leave it on... but seriously grow up and stop trying to always feel like whatever idea or setting you have is the best, and all others are stupid. The negativity is not needed.
Thank you OP for posting because myself and I'm sure some others have found this post useful.
It's a toggle-able feature for a reason. Some people like Interest Based AD's, some don't.
I personally disable the tracking, not based on the fact that I want to see irrelevant ad's rather than relevant, but because I would RATHER not have my PRIVACY tracked, period. The good thing as that the people who are really knowledgeable about people's interest understand this and provide the option to decide as a user what you want.
If you don't mind being tracked and targeted on interests, by all means leave it on... but seriously grow up and stop trying to always feel like whatever idea or setting you have is the best, and all others are stupid. The negativity is not needed.
Thank you OP for posting because myself and I'm sure some others have found this post useful.
your PRIVACY is not being tracked. Thats the whole point that people dont understand. In order for someone to invade your privacy, by definition, they need to know WHO you are.
These services dont collect ANY personal information as that is illegal. They dont know your name, nor is any of the information they collect linked to any identifiable person (unless you specifically give that information within the app).
Its simply linked to a randomly generated number, period.
All these threads do is make people turn these settings off for no reason which equals less revenue for companies that make these free apps for us, which means less free apps.
So yea you can make whatever choice you want, just dont come back here and cry when your favorite app turns into a paid app instead of free.
I don't want to see relevant ads. It increases the opportunity to spend money I'd rather be saving. I figure, when I want a product or service, I'll actively seek it out instead of spending my money on something that flashes across my phone and sounds enticing.
Which is why I don't mind ads that aren't relevant to me -- they're easier to ignore.
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The free app companies serving the ads will get paid no matter which ad they serve. Sure they get a bit more when the ad results in a conversion or sale, but it's not hurting them THAT significantly if their ads aren't targeted. Turning off these settings doesn't DECREASE revenues from what they were before the feature was introduced, it just minimizes the potential of the feature to INCREASE revenues.
Which is why I don't mind ads that aren't relevant to me -- they're easier to ignore.
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The free app companies serving the ads will get paid no matter which ad they serve. Sure they get a bit more when the ad results in a conversion or sale, but it's not hurting them THAT significantly if their ads aren't targeted. Turning off these settings doesn't DECREASE revenues from what they were before the feature was introduced, it just minimizes the potential of the feature to INCREASE revenues.
Apple's iOS Settings option doesn't really disable tracking. It certainly doesn't turn off the IFA. It simply sets a flag that the advertiser is voluntarily supposed to honor by not sending targeted advertising.
Apple's Advertising Identifier API for apps states the following about the advertisingTrackingEnabled flag:
Even this does not stop targeted ads, of course, since advertisers have other means of tracking users. There is, for example, a MAC address database that's being built up for this purpose. They also have their own flags from their own apps.
What's also not clear is if this setting also affects iAds served from Apple. They have a support article that points to a separate link you have to follow to disable targeted iAds: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4228 ... Could be old info, though it states that it was Last Modified: Sep 19, 2012.
Seems pretty obvious that enabling a limit of ad tracking would limit ad tracking....not sure how thats hard to understand.
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EULAs are such a scam, and actually will not hold up in court, since you purchase the software license prior to agreeing to anything. There is also no option to change the licensing terms if you disagree.
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EULAs are such a scam, and actually will not hold up in court, since you purchase the software license prior to agreeing to anything. There is also no option to change the licensing terms if you disagree.
It is for a reason. To diable these types of ads.
I'd personally rather have a paid ad free app then free. Especially kids app.
I don't use free apps. They are seriously annoying! Ads every screen, slowness because of said ads. If I want an app I will either pay for the upgrade, or if its not good I will just delete it.