Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
If it was that essential, then I would never see an advert for feminine hygiene products when I’m watching TV.
Of course they can't track you to the same degree they can online. Unless there is a camera on your TV they can't see if its a man or woman watching their program. They can only try to target the expected demographic for a certain program.
 
Love this kind of thinking. Facebook is bad because they provide a service I use for free, but they generate 99% of their income through advertising. Apple is good because I give them thousands and thousands of dollars

It is my choice if I buy Apple products or not, Facebook tracks users regardless if they are „customers“ of the company or not. I have no choice in this matter even though I have never had a Facebook account.
 
It is my choice if I buy Apple products or not, Facebook tracks users regardless if they are „customers“ of the company or not. I have no choice in this matter even though I have never had a Facebook account.
I have never had a Facebook account and Facebook never tracks me. I know because I use advertising trackers on my network and I never see Facebook trackers in there. Obviously I see a lot of Google trackers, but they all get blocked. I have never once seen a Facebook tracker. Probably because I never go to the Facebook website and my network strips all websites of the like buttons and all that crap.
 
Facebook threatening that everyone they will move to a subscription model, and blame Apple for it.
 
I would argue that it most definitely is essential to have some form of targeted advertising. You can't just blindly show anyone any ad and expect to make money. You have to show people ads they are interested in. Just like when you are watching sports or gaming on tv, they show ads that are targeted to that demographic. It's just simple advertising, to be effective you have to show people what they are interested in.

Interesting theory. Decades and centuries of advertising, long before our personal data was for sale or computers existed, would seem to indicate otherwise.

Still, assuming you're correct and these modern day ad companies can't survive in this new reality, I should care because...??? Why is it my responsibility to ensure these companies thrive? What other businesses out there are expecting me to "do my thing" so they can stay in business? Why does this burden rest on MY shoulders? Why are they entitled to my private data if I don't wish them to have it in the first place?

Just for the record, I've said MANY, MANY, MANY times (not that you would know of course) that if I hadn't gone into programming, I would have wanted to go into advertising (or psychology). I find the psychology of advertising fascinating. I love it. I'd hate to see that business go away, but I'm still not willing to give up my private information to prevent that from happening. If today's companies have forgotten how to market without private information, a new company will come along and figure it out. They may not be as profitable, but that's just one more thing in the "not my problem" bucket.
 
I would argue that it most definitely is essential to have some form of targeted advertising. You can't just blindly show anyone any ad and expect to make money. You have to show people ads they are interested in. Just like when you are watching sports or gaming on tv, they show ads that are targeted to that demographic. It's just simple advertising, to be effective you have to show people what they are interested in.
Interesting theory. Decades and centuries of advertising, long before our personal data was for sale or computers existed, would seem to indicate otherwise.

Still, assuming you're correct and these modern day ad companies can't survive in this new reality, I should care because...??? Why is it my responsibility to ensure these companies thrive? What other businesses out there are expecting me to "do my thing" so they can stay in business? Why does this burden rest on MY shoulders? Why are they entitled to my private data if I don't wish them to have it in the first place?

Just for the record, I've said MANY, MANY, MANY times (not that you would know of course) that if I hadn't gone into programming, I would have wanted to go into advertising (or psychology). I find the psychology of advertising fascinating. I love it. I'd hate to see that business go away, but I'm still not willing to give up my private information to prevent that from happening. If today's companies have forgotten how to market without private information, a new company will come along and figure it out. They may not be as profitable, but that's just one more thing in the "not my problem" bucket.
It is interesting. I have seen this same discussion (pretty much) in regards to Google.
I am not a FB user - dumped them years back. I am an Apple device owner. I also own Android.

Before we really saw targeted advertising, it used to drive me nuts getting ads for locations and services not available in my area. Getting advertisements for men's and women's health, and other products that have little to no value to me. Give me general targeted ads. Those I can live with. In depth profiling I can do without.

@MEJHarrison - attended a seminar a couple years back, one of those management skills things, and 2/3 of the group was from Marketing/Sales. The rest of us (Engineering/Manufacturing) felt like we were observing an alien species. They spoke English, or seemed to, and their view of the world was ... unique.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: MEJHarrison
Agreed. However, it's not all or nothing for me. Give me third party now and I can wait on first party.
That's funny. Apple you need to act and make sure that third party apps don't track me NOW. But your own apps, thats fine. Take your time. You can continue to track me for as long as you want. You're Apple so I don't mind being tracked by the company that I idolize.
 
Interesting theory. Decades and centuries of advertising, long before our personal data was for sale or computers existed, would seem to indicate otherwise.

Still, assuming you're correct and these modern day ad companies can't survive in this new reality, I should care because...??? Why is it my responsibility to ensure these companies thrive? What other businesses out there are expecting me to "do my thing" so they can stay in business? Why does this burden rest on MY shoulders? Why are they entitled to my private data if I don't wish them to have it in the first place?

Just for the record, I've said MANY, MANY, MANY times (not that you would know of course) that if I hadn't gone into programming, I would have wanted to go into advertising (or psychology). I find the psychology of advertising fascinating. I love it. I'd hate to see that business go away, but I'm still not willing to give up my private information to prevent that from happening. If today's companies have forgotten how to market without private information, a new company will come along and figure it out. They may not be as profitable, but that's just one more thing in the "not my problem" bucket.
Do you use Facebook? I don't want to assume anything. But if you do, then it is definitely in your interests that Facebook survive and thrive. Do you use Gmail or Youtube. I'm sure everyone at least uses Youtube. It is in your interests that Youtube survive. Just because you don't like Facebook or any company for that matter, if you are using any of their services then it is in your best interests that they do survive. Of course Apple will survive, they sell $1000 cell phones. But there are other companies that don't make cell phones, but make digital platforms that the world over uses. So their survival is in everyone's interests.
 
Nah, Apple is only profiting off this in the sense that it might entice more people to their ecosystem. An ecosystem where customers know how and what personal data is being used or traded. Facebook is projecting SOOOO hard! XD Crying about NOT FAIR because they can't be sneaky cheats, or that they'll be held accountable at the least.
 
My only issue with any of it is the use of the term "track". This phrase has implications that are simply not true, so it over exaggerates the point. I also feel like, because people in general don't like advertising (despite the enormous amount of things its existence provides them on a daily basis), that this results in excessive support for anything that acts "against" advertising in anyway, even if it is not really good for them or others.
I’m not sure I understand. Tracking is real and deeper than most even realize. The change means consumers will know exactly when they are being followed around on the internet because they went to one site 6 months ago and now they are sharing everywhere I’ve gone since with 30 other companies I have no idea they even exist.
 
How can we have facts about Apple? They are the least transparent company in the history of the world. No one really knows exactly what Apple is tracking. And since the new regulations won't affect Apple's Ad platform we probably never will.
In fact they tell ask me if I will allow them to track me or share my usage data fairly often. I usually decline.
 
Nope. Just someone who works and expects to get paid for that work. I totally understand you work for free, but you can't expect Facebook or any company to work for free. Your beloved Apple doesn't do a single thing for free.
Facebook still has a lot of paid advertising on their site they get paid for. They also charge businesses to show their pages to people who like their pages; since they changed their algorithms to not show these if you don’t pay. 🤷‍♂️
 
  • Like
Reactions: torncanvas
I’m not sure I understand. Tracking is real and deeper than most even realize. The change means consumers will know exactly when they are being followed around on the internet because they went to one site 6 months ago and now they are sharing everywhere I’ve gone since with 30 other companies I have no idea they even exist.
On the internet is the operative term. The popup does not say that. It just says "tracking you" which to 99% of people will translate to physically tracking your location. There is an ocean of difference between those 2 things both in reality and in perception.

Apple has intentionally worded it to be deceptive and result is most people opting out. They've done everything they can short of turning it off by default and not allowing apps to prompt.

Most people would not care that a company gets their email address and web browsing history in exchange for some free crap. Most people (and companies) are happy with that exchange.

And FYI - this is in no way a commentary on Facebook and the fact that their entire existence is predicated on profiling and tracking people beyond browser history. They don't even belong in the same conversation as this topic.
 
  • Disagree
Reactions: torncanvas and s66
Yes that is what I am saying. All the Apple evangelists on here are saying it's not a big deal that Apple doesn't have to abide by the regulations. It shouldn't matter if 1% of your income is from advertising or 99% is. Everyone should have to follow the regulations. Apple makes rules all the time and then very conveniently excludes themselves from those rules because "it's our platform".

But do they though? You‘ve had the ability to opt out of personalised Apple Ads for years....and it clearly states lathe Apple advertising platform does not track you”.

0996C108-0E21-4F10-91E1-3E0433726A1C.jpeg
 
In fact they tell ask me if I will allow them to track me or share my usage data fairly often. I usually decline.
What is one example of Apple asking? They have a setting you can toggle off to not be tracked. But there are no popups or warnings. You have to know to go into the settings yourself and turn it off.
 
One individual stated that since Apple was a hardware company, and didn’t rely on as revenue for a large part of its earnings, it wasn’t an issue. Why isn’t it? Shouldn’t these rules be applied universally? As tracking is as tracking. Whether it’s your business or it’s a small amount of your revenue stream. At least the op out option should exist. If you want Apple to track you, fine - allow them to track you.
They request it. The difference is you are on a device they manage so even ensuring it can connect to the network properly requires data. That’s why O would never buy Android. Having to sign in to Google to even use it is crazy. Data such as location data Apple gets is anonymous because they strip away the identifiers. This is done across most of their products. Siri has been on device for a few years now so request are no longer transmitted to Apple for processing. Even then identifiers are removed when sending it to the search engines.
 
The world loses nothing is Facebook is smashed to pieces.

Instagram will live on independently.

Other platforms will be used to advertise businesses.

Word of mouth. Review sites. Search engines. All these will still exist and help businesses.

But the world does benefit from smashing Facebook. No more manipulation and misinformation aimed at targeted individuals and populations.
 
But do they though? You‘ve had the ability to opt out of personalised Apple Ads for years.

View attachment 1695753
Of course that has been discussed in length. The point is they don't tell you about that. My mom and grandma would never know to go into the settings to turn off that toggle. Apple is putting popups on all other apps to give users the ability to turn off tracking in the popup. They do not do that with their own apps. There is no popup or warning for Apple apps. They continue to track you in the background unless you manually go into the settings and turn it off.
 
I would argue that it most definitely is essential to have some form of targeted advertising. You can't just blindly show anyone any ad and expect to make money. You have to show people ads they are interested in. Just like when you are watching sports or gaming on tv, they show ads that are targeted to that demographic. It's just simple advertising, to be effective you have to show people what they are interested in.
I very much agree. I think the counter argument that some make is that targeted advertising is still possible without knowing anything specific about your audience, but I think that undersells the effectiveness of targeted advertising.
 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.