Apple Warns App Tracking Transparency Could Be Disabled in Europe

[ItsASpider]

You either die a hero, or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain.

You did some good EU but enough is enough now.

Nha, these countries are right. They are going after Apple because ATT works for every ad provider and tracking platform except for Apple's own. If Apple actually believed in this, it would be consistent with its own apps in how ATT works compared to third party apps and not bury settings for its own advertising platform separately from those for everyone else's.

All of this would go away if Apple would just apply the same rules to itself as it applies to others. The idea that they'd have to remove ATT from Europe as if there isn't a very simple solution is just ridiculous. And honestly, the fact that this article neglects to point that out is just as manipulative.

Apple applying rules to others that it doesn't apply to itself is actually kinda a recurring theme...

Access to what by default? Apple doesn't ask for App Tracking Transparency permission because they don't track you across other companies' apps. There is no rule preventing a company tracking you across their own apps; they don't need to ask permission for that. If Meta (for example) only tracked you within their own apps and websites, they wouldn't need to ask permission either.

Except of course that Apple very much does track you across other companies' apps. What, you think that these investigations never posed the question if Apple followed their own rules? They did ask that, and Apple did tell them they did not "[because that's different]". E.g.: even when Apple began to ask for consent, it required only one permission to be given by the user, while third party apps have to ask in 2 different prompts. Meanwhile, while ATT controls are pretty easy to find, Apple's own Apple Advertising settings are located deeper in Settings.

---

France's entire issue with ATT is that it doesn't go far enough and that Apple should make minor changes to ATT so that in one go it would also provide consent or no consent that would legally be acceptable under the GDPR instead of requiring developers to give a second prompt just for that, thus confusing the user (a second prompt that Apple doesn't require for its own apps, thus creating an unfair advantage for Apple, too).

 

[Bregalad]

I know that without advertising there would be paywalls in front of a lot of information, but it still annoys me how much data is being sucked up in the name of selling me stuff.

Luckily for me and "sucks to be you" for the companies buying ads, I've gotten really good at ignoring most ads.

Those that get in my face are treated with complete contempt. I have a lifetime boycott list of companies that put virtually un-tap-able close boxes on their ads or use the first close box to launch a second ad that I also have to close.

The only language they speak is money so I make sure they'll never get any of mine.

 

[ikir]

we should create an EU petition for this thing

 

[con2apple]

Incidentally, this has nothing to do with the EU.
It is lobbying by the advertising industry (led by newspapers and television stations) in individual countries.

Once again:
It has nothing to do with the EU.
Even Apple writes that.

But what is this actually about?
We can only laugh at the French. They consider this tracking query too complicated.

Germany is more nuanced in its approach. The German antitrust authority is not complaining about the ATT itself, but rather because Apple is excluded from it.

Apple says: “We only track our users and spy on their every move for our own interests, that's not so bad.”
The Germans say: “No, no, Apple. You can't ban tracking for everyone else but allow it for yourself. That's anti-competitive.”

Even though I personally would find it a shame if Apple had to disable ATT, the German authorities have a point.

 

[con2apple]

This is quite ridiculous. Shouldn’t it be up to the user of the apps to decide if they wish to be tracked across apps?

You're right.

Why doesn't Apple allow this?
Why can't I, as an Apple user, prevent Apple from tracking me?

That's what the German authorities are complaining about:
Apple prohibits tracking by third parties, but allows it for itself.

So your anger should actually be directed at Apple. They spy on your every move and you can't prevent it.

 

[m4mario]

People were OK with EU extorting Apple's proprietary tech and prevent Apple from monetising its development platforms. Because they thought only Apple will be harmed. But now those same agencies are forcing Apple to hand over user privacy features.

Remember, it's never about the users. It's about EU regulator making some change or the other to keep their own jobs. It's also about money and they don't mind extorting American proprietary tech and the privacy of their own people for it.

If you create a commission to monitor Hair fall, eventually they will want to control how you comb your hair. What else are they going to do? Say "there is no more work to be done, dissolve this commission, please fire us"?

 

[tehabe]

what 'surveillance state'? has it sold out to Meta? since when is EU even a 'state'? and why is 'communist' in brackets?

This comment of mine was not about Meta or Apple at all, more about the so called chat control and data rentation for communication, which is a zombie which is being resurrected every once and a while.

The EU is a de-facto state, it has a government, a parliament, courts, laws which are valid in the entire EU, either directly or through laws enacted in the member states.

I put communist in brackets because the Eastern European countries were only communist in the broadest sense possible. Communism is about liberating workers from exploitation and enable self-determination. These countries merely changed the prison guard.

Eastern Germany had its own surveillance on par with the worst of them, and now it's going all fascist again. what's it got to do with iPhone settings, I have no idea.

I guess you haven't read this discussion on how many people called the EU "communist" w/o a clue on what that even is. It is just a term they learned on how to call their enemies. They have still no clue but well …

Back to the topic: To be quite honest, Apple shot itself in the foot, when they created their own ad network. Now they have to proof that their network doesn't get preferential treatment to other networks. And this announcement is simply to shift blame from Apple to the EU. Because it would really suck to lose ATT. At the same time ATT is not the problem itself, the problem is, that you don't know if Apple's own apps are included or not. And instead of fixing this, Apple shutsdown the entire thing.

 

[MacFarmer]

Okey, this is ridiculous! Where and whom do we need to contact in EU bureaucratic wasteland?

 

[svish]

Will not be surprised if this happens. Apple is facing a lot of trouble due to various regulations.

 

[wanha]

inb4 someone tries to argue that the user data stored on iPhones belongs to Apple, since it was generated on their platform.

I'm pretty sure we can all agree that individual user data should belong to the individual user.

Sure, but I don't know if that's realistic though.

Even a super market tracks home many people visit, when they visit, what they buy, etc - that's the whole point of loyalty cards and programs.

Once you interact with the world (online or offline), it's going to leave a trail of information that someone is going to be able to see, measure, analyze, use, and sell.

I agree with the general idea of "individual user data should belong to the individual user", I just don't know if that's actually possible.

 

[tim-apple-silicon]

Sounds like lobbyists are influencing regulatory voting of EC officials

 

[Abazigal]

Not surprised.

Pros and cons are but two sides of the same coin. There is good in bad, and bad in good.

You want the benefits of the DMA, you must be prepared to accept all the drawbacks that come with it as well. Both now and future.

Heck, it took 20 years for the ramifications that would lead to Crowdstrike to fully materialise!

 

[whatnot]

the whole idea that corporate techbros cherish my privacy more than my government is ludicrous. also, there's a reason stolen western-sold iPhones are selling like hot cakes in China, and it's not some exclusive finish - did Apple throw a hissy fit when forced to comply with Chinese censorship? colour me shocked if it did.

 

[Boeingfan]

Guys, ATT is a great feature and it’s totally anti-competitive for Apple exempt their own apps that directly compete with third party apps that are restricted by it.

I don’t want Apple targeting me either, and I don’t want them using ATT as a club to defend their monopoly on it.

Then don’t use an Apple device 👍

 

[christophermdia]

I really think for Europe, Apple should create iOS lite. It’s an environment that would mimic let’s say Windows RT. Can do anything you want with your phone. No Apple protocols. No App Store, No features. Just call and SMS, the green kind. Download all your own stuff, app stores etc … do what you want with your phone. No iCloud included. There could be a button where you opt in to Apple ecosystem if you so choose for a monthly subscription. Get the full version of iOS with all the bells and whistles. This phone will always be at least 2-3 generations behind premium iPhones. And premium iPhones come with European bands locked only available to be opened for carriers in other countries to open during an active plan. Just make it so hard to be easy, that all the politicians and judges and legal folks just get so fed up that they just wave the white flag. That’s what I would do anyway.

 

[AngstyKylo]

Does anyone find this effective anyways? I've opted out of everything and I get targeted adds in all my apps. all my social accounts know the second I look at something on google or amazon... or talk about or occasionally think of something 😂 .

Yeah it's so performative as it'll be done at ISP and phone carrier levels nowadays. You can obviously put a lot of effort into masking this but sometimes that will break a lot of things. It's unfortunate that people think they're being extra private using an iPhone whilst using the Appstore/Apple TV, Meta, Google, Amazon, credit cards etc.

 

[SBlue1]

So ad brokers have a legal right to operate without oversight from the consumer? Seems shady

No, but Apple should play by its own rules. The EU is not against the tracking, it's saying Apple is blocking out competition while it prefers its onw tracking. I don't want ANY tracking.

 

[dvnDC]

Make this change and I am out, Apple. One wrong decision after another.

This is also BS, Apple can track data for own use, but not 3rd party. So instead they prefer to open tracking for everyone? Well, maybe it's gonna be right time to switch to Android phone and framework laptop after all. Maybe it's high time to replace Tim "Money" Cook?

 

[surferfb]

The amount of misinformation/misunderstanding in this thread is staggering.

Once again, Apple does play by its own rules here. Apple does not track across third party websites and apps. That is what ATT prohibits (without user consent). Meta is perfectly within its rights to track iOS users across all of its iOS apps. But once it starts tracking across third-party apps and websites, that is when ATT applies.

 

[vantelimus]

This seems like it should be tagged a political article. You cannot separate the legal and business aspects from the European political angle. In particular, this ruling seems at odds with the GDPR. It would be nice to see some discussion on how this ruling can be viewed as consistent with data privacy rights.

 

[thekeyring]

If the EU supports Facebook at undermining Apple User Privacy & Terms of Use, Ursula gets one serious spanking.

From who? She can't be voted out

 

[vantelimus]

Does anyone find this effective anyways? I've opted out of everything and I get targeted adds in all my apps. all my social accounts know the second I look at something on google or amazon... or talk about or occasionally think of something 😂 .

You probably have not opted out everywhere. If you don't have "Prevent cross-site tracking" enabled in your browser, googletagmanager is profiling the crap out of you.

 

[p.willis]

iOS27, now shipping with these new features*

* Sorry EU users, you get some new Emojis and that's all.

 

[Cesar Battistini]

Just proving again, that the EU is interested in stealing money from US companies. And costumers.

 

[bsolar]

Once again, Apple does play by its own rules here. Apple does not track across third party websites and apps. That is what ATT prohibits (without user consent). Meta is perfectly within its rights to track iOS users across all of its iOS apps. But once it starts tracking across third-party apps and websites, that is when ATT applies.

The authorities did determine asymmetrical treatment for apps, e.g. the French determined that third-party apps require a different, more complicated consent prompt that Apple's own apps. Apple has some argument in their favour, but mainly because the way Apple defined ATT fundamentally excludes themselves from it and allows them to give their own app a simplified prompt.

This was likely at least in part a calculated decision made to gain an advantage against most competitors. The advantage is undeniable IMHO: whether it's "fair" or not is debatable but so far regulators seem to agree that it's not a fair advantage.

A better, more privacy-oriented approach might be to further limit cross-tracking to contexts even if the different contexts are being handled by the same company. Something similar does exist already in other industries where you signing a contract of a certain type with a company does not automatically give said company the right to use your data in other contexts.