Privacy Group Files Legal Complaints in Europe Targeting Apple's Device Identifier Service for Advertisers

[SkyRom]

I love the idea of privacy lawsuits advocating on behalf of citizens all over the world. But honestly? There are at least 20 lawsuits that need to happen against Google, Facebook, Microsoft and the other worst offenders long before Apple, who actually has been leading the charge on Privacy the last 5+ years.

 

[StevieD100]

I love the idea of privacy lawsuits advocating on behalf of citizens all over the world. But honestly? There are at least 20 lawsuits that need to happen against Google, Facebook, Microsoft and the other worst offenders long before Apple, who actually has been leading the charge on Privacy the last 5+ years.

I totally agree but I'm sure there are people saying...
"Hey, lets sue Apple. That will give us far more media exposure than going after Facebook or Google. They fight dirty."

 

[GeoStructural]

Apple's anonymised ID should be the least of their worries. If you don't want it, you can just turn it off in Settings -> Privacy -> Advertising. It needs to be opt in, rather than on by default - but it sounds like this is what Apple already plans to do.

Google and Facebook are an order of magnitude more problematic than anything Apple does. These guys have enough data to build a profile on you without the need for any cross-site advertising IDs. By banning them elsewhere we are just concentrating more and more power (and more advertising dollars) in hands of the largest players.

But that doesn’t stop it. You can go ahead and toggle the setting off and Apple will still build up an advertisement profile, only with slightly less information.

I posted about this probably over a year ago in this forum and many people attacked me because they are under the illusion that Apple is the holy grail of privacy.

 

[luvbug]

Living in the US, I've come to wonder where we would be without our (hopefully?) friends in the EU doing the right thing. Thank you, thank you, thank, you! 🙏

 

[laptech]

Okay, so the converse is that you don’t care about privacy. You don’t have to. But if you don’t then it does beg the question ‘why comment’?

Why should I have to care about something to comment?. If I see wrong doing I will comment. What Apple has done is wrong in my opinion and thus I made a comment.

 

[britboyj]

Each ‌iPhone‌ that Apple sells comes with the unique identifier, which lets advertisers track the actions users take when they use apps.

This isn't true. The IDFA is GENERATED by the OS itself every time the device is reset or if the user resets it. It IS NOT a same hard-coded identifier like the UDID was when it was used for advertising.

personalized ads aren’t just annoying, they are also dangerous and shaping individuals personality. For instance, I had to do some research for my mother and now all I am receiving is ads or articles about those topics and I am like I AM NOT INTERESTED. What if I like Spain? That doesn’t mean I am not interested in Norway but those ads will keep showing me Spain so eventually your brain will go like Spain Spain Spain. Also a nice „Tool“ to shape opinions

If you think personalized ads are annoying, wait until you get zero personalized ads in the same volume (or higher, since if you actually work in app development, you'd understand that less addressable device-ID inventory means lower eCPMs which means developers will integrate more ads).

 

[LeadingHeat]

isn’t what the group wants in line with what Apple is trying to implement? Just that Apple has chosen to extend the grace period, but it seems like it will eventually be here? Long before the lawsuit takes effect anyways.

This was my thought as well. Not sure if this lawsuit would hold any water. If anything, NYOB should be targeting the offenders, like Facebook or Google that actively use this technology. (And funnily enough companies like that are suing Apple from the other side of the fence, saying that it’s going to hurt their feelings and wallets if Apple locks them out)

 

[contacos]

This isn't true. The IDFA is GENERATED by the OS itself every time the device is reset or if the user resets it. It IS NOT a same hard-coded identifier like the UDID was when it was used for advertising.



If you think personalized ads are annoying, wait until you get zero personalized ads in the same volume (or higher, since if you actually work in app development, you'd understand that less addressable device-ID inventory means lower eCPMs which means developers will integrate more ads).

used to be like that before Facebook became a thing and I definitely preferred it because it actually would show me things I never dreamed or thought of and potentially even bought instead of showing me the same thing all over just because I bought or searched for something similar once. Its like only seeing PIZZA PIZZA PIZZA just because I like pizza does not mean I am not open for food from countries I never visited. They basically limit our thoughts.

Regarding Apps, we do not have ads in our Apps. We only use those "tools" to analyse usage and behaviour flows such as "what feature is very popular", "what is barely used" etc.

 

[steve62388]

Why should I have to care about something to comment?. If I see wrong doing I will comment. What Apple has done is wrong in my opinion and thus I made a comment.

Strange logic.

 

[luvbug]

Not if you use UBo and block all the Google and Facebooks ads and trackers. If you don’t see ads or trackers ever, then even if Google is tracking you via non-trackers, it’s pointless. What can they do with it?

Or use the Brave browser. I never see ads on my mobile device, iPad, or desktop. Either way.

 

[jimbobb24]

I think most people dont read the threads. The solution to this is posted on the first page and people just keep going on and on without any idea what they are talking about. The same person who said you could turn it off also suggested it is opt in by default. The rest of the thread is people going on about nothing like me.

 

[EarthKidk]

ads just get in the way especially for the people who have vision problem and beside we never click on the as anyway.

 

[MacBH928]

There is no use with these companies, law exists for a reason. This should be done by the politician just like Europe forced laws via their GDPR thing. We should not rely on "for profit" capitalists to dictate whats right and wrong in society.

“When it comes time to hang the capitalists, they will vie with each other for the rope contract.”

To my human brethrens, I advice you install something called PiHole! Its so simple, so cheap, and so effective!

 

[ececlv]

I love the idea of privacy lawsuits advocating on behalf of citizens all over the world. But honestly? There are at least 20 lawsuits that need to happen against Google, Facebook, Microsoft and the other worst offenders long before Apple, who actually has been leading the charge on Privacy the last 5+ years.

Id imagine apple is a good target. Because apple will come to an arrangement quickly. Then you use this as a lever to go after bigger fish

 

[Tech198]

I wonder if their related to MYOB (Mind our Own Business)..

With advertising, it always goes on the edge of 'privacy' to start raisin concerns, so i'm not surprised with that.

In fact, i would argue you can not have advertising and privacy together and not be questionable, they are are the opposite ends of the scale.

 

[alexhardaker]

Are we on about Apple’s ad network here? I thought it was limited & advertisers only got to know about broad demographics that contained a minimum amount of people (that turned it on)? Didn’t advertisers complain about iAds back in the day? I turned the ads feature on recently to see what happened. Just turn it off. No big deal.