French Regulator to Probe Apple's Upcoming Anti-Tracking Feature [Updated]

[0lf]

I haven't watched that episode. I'll do it now.

Germany isn't great either, but I think the Anti-Tracking Feature really much is in favor of the GDPR the EU imposed a couple of years back.

In my opinion France only probes this, because Apple is a foreign company.

You mean, France rejected the plea because Apple is a foreign company ?

 

[jlc1978]

As a German I must say, that France is like that wife that you can't please. No matter what you do.

Except she's incredibly hot, witty and cultured; which is why you went after her in the first place...

I suppose that if Facebook made a device and restricted apps from tracking users, it would be safe to presume that Facebook would track users on that device, hence an unfair advantage.

I think France should investigate Facebook's Portal policy to be sure they play fair as well.

I don’t mind this. Apple should follow the same rules. Tech giants are all masters at arbitrary rules that are enforced according to their arbitrary bias. I think the govt making them consistent is reasonable.

Why should Facebook be able to mine data and not let third parties use API's to hook into the service and get access to all the same data? Or prevent other apps from connecting to WhatsApp?

So, despite everything we can reed here, the only thing the French are doing is making sure Apple applies the same rules to itself. What a disgrace. 🙃

Let's hope France investigates Carrefour for giving preference to house brands and force them to give others the same deal.

 

[MacBH928]

Apple is definitely in the advertising business, although it's not its core business like e.g. Google.

Other than whats in the App Store/iTunes store which I hardly notice, what do they advertise?

 

[bb9]

Will install asap.

 

[Tech198]

It's almost like a company can't function anymore (in peace)... When you speak, every other has to follow though.

Why should Facebook be able to mine data and not let third parties use API's to hook into the service and get access to all the same data? Or prevent other apps from connecting to WhatsApp?

It would be conveniently giving 'direct access' but no need to. That only stops at the user/developer level. Allot more mining happens higher up, to the point direct access become moot.

 

[youdontsay]

Let's hope France investigates Carrefour for giving preference to house brands and force them to give others the same deal.

While I see where you are coming from and can agree, I'd argue the situation is not quite the same. If you don't want to buy at Carrefour, you can buy at Monoprix, Leclerc, System U, Lidle, Aldi, etc and get the same products.

If you're an advertiser, you cannot go see anyone else but apple to advertise on apple devices (at least not that I know of, please tell me if i'm wrong). So I think it's only fair to make sure Apple applies the same rules regarding advertising to itself.

And again, for anyone passing by this comment, France is not probing Apple's Upcoming Anti-Tracking Feature per se. In fact, it refused to do so if you read the article. So yes the EU and France are very much for tracking transparency and data protection. That's why Apple thanked France. It's just looking to make sure apple applies the same rules to its own services so it's not anti competitive.

Now, I can agree this can open up the usual debate of wether apple can do what it wants on its own product or not. But that's an entirely different topic.

 

[jlc1978]

While I see where you are coming from and can agree, I'd argue the situation is not quite the same. If you don't want to buy at Carrefour, you can buy at Monoprix, Leclerc, System U, Lidle, Aldi, etc and get the same products.

While I agree there are differences, for me it's the house brand vs 3rd party products comparison; where stores get better margins and charge slotting fees, etc. that they don't pay for their own products. It is a stretch, however; and of course my main point was why doesn't France investigate a large French firm for anti-competitive behavior?

If you're an advertiser, you cannot go see anyone else but apple to advertise on apple devices (at least not that I know of, please tell me if i'm wrong). So I think it's only fair to make sure Apple applies the same rules regarding advertising to itself.

But that is true of any company - I can only advertise on Google if I go to Google, Carrefour if I sell in Carrefour, even if I can also advertise elsewhere, just as I can in the smart phone market beyond Apple.

And again, for anyone passing by this comment, France is not probing Apple's Upcoming Anti-Tracking Feature per se. In fact, it refused to do so if you read the article. So yes the EU and France are very much for tracking transparency and data protection. That's why Apple thanked France. It's just looking to make sure apple applies the same rules to its own services so it's not anti competitive.

Yes, and if Apple's rules are more stringent I'd like to see them apply them to 3rd parties and let facebook get hoisted by its own petard.

The larger question is should a company, no matter the industry, be allowed to give preference to itself to benefit its products and services? That is a very complex question.

Now, I can agree this can open up the usual debate of wether apple can do what it wants on its own product or not. But that's an entirely different topic.

and one that gets debated ad nauseam on MR...

 

[bsolar]

Other than whats in the App Store/iTunes store which I hardly notice, what do they advertise?

I don't think anything else except for news, but note that for Apple "what's in the App Store/iTunes" is supposed to be basically everything their consumers are supposed to need or want.

AFAIK they have Apple Search Ads which promotes apps or services from their ecosystem, and Apple News Ads which allows publishers to run ads on Apple News (either from Apple or their own).

I think Apple Search Ads is the largest ads revenue source by far for Apple, expected to generate 2 billions in 2020, whereas Apple News Ads didn't have much success.