Report: iOS Users Who Opt-Out of App Tracking Continue to Be Tracked by Facebook and Snapchat

[laptech]

Well… I’d say hardly a surprise. Companies like Facebook are made since the beginning with the core business of tracking customers

Well then, knowing companies behave in this manner and continue to behave in this manner, is it not Apple's responsibility to protect it's customers and prevent their customers data from being tracked? This is what App Tracking Transparancey (ATT) was supposed to do but as we can see by the main news article, Apple is not doing this because it is still allowing companies like Facebook to track you.

I understand people take issue with the way Facebook run's it business but shouldn't you and others be voicing/directing your anger/frustration/annoyance towards Apple for allowing Facebook to continue to track you even when the person has opted out of data tracking instead of making posts here complaining about Facebook?.

 

[Mountain/\Ash]

I don't use Facebook or Snapchat. The app or the browser. I haven't logged on to FB in almost a year. Not only do I not miss it one bit, my life is much better for it.

You're the exact user that this is helpful for... you might say you don't use the social networks, but they still use you! Other apps have Facebooks SDK built in and other sites have Facebook pixel tracking. They are building a profile on you (even if they only know you as an ID) - to show you Ads "relevant" to you.

 

[laptech]

You're the exact user that this is helpful for... you might say you don't use the social networks, but they still use you! Other apps have Facebooks SDK built in and other sites have Facebook pixel tracking. They are building a profile on you (even if they only know you as an ID) - to show you Ads "relevant" to you.

What you touched upon is something I a think MR wrote a news article about which is that even if people do not have a Facebook account, many many websites use Facebooks SDK which in turn sends back data to Facebook.

Facebook is in the business of selling user data to advertisers because that is how it survives and therefore what better way to make sure that they give active IP addresses to advertisers is to get their SDK put into specific websites that they know people regularly visit. I have never had a FB account but I have no doubt Facebook have a profile on me or more to the point my IP address due to the fact the many websites are affiliated with Facebook or have Facebook or one of Facebooks other companies as one of the sites 'vendors'.

 

[svish]

Since Facebook is not bothered about privacy, they would just ignore the preference.
Not a good practice by Facebook.

 

[laptech]

Since Facebook is not bothered about privacy, they would just ignore the preference.
Not a good practice by Facebook.

Why are you pointing out the obvious about Facebook but ignoring the fact that Apple is allowing Facebook to carry on doing what it is doing?

Upon reflection, your post is a perfect example of why Apple is allowed to get away with the things that it does because Apple fans and it's supporters always speak out about the fault and failings of others but always chose to ignore Apples involvement.

 

[KindJamz]

You do realize that CSAM is not new and not unique to Apple. Other companies have had CSAM implemented in their products and services for quite some time. They've just not ben forthcoming about it.

You do realize that just about every entity that you deal has been selling your data without your consent. If you have an GMail account or use Google Chrome as your browser or use Google as your search engine, your "private data" has been harvested and sold. Just yesterday it was reported that Verizon Wireless has been collecting data of their subscribers unbeknownst to them. The list goes on and on and on. Do you express that much outrage to those companies and entities or just Apple?

Are those other company’s promoting privacy as a selling main point?

 

[jeffehobbs]

"Loose" interpretations of Apple's privacy policies allow apps such as Facebook and Snapchat to continue tracking users for targeted advertising even when they have asked to not be tracked, The Financial Times reports.

In May, Apple launched its App Tracking Transparency feature that allows users to opt-out of being tracked across apps and websites for advertising purposes. Seven months after Apple introduced the feature, companies such as Snapchat and Facebook have purportedly been allowed to continue sharing user-level signals from iPhones, providing that data is anonymized and aggregated rather than directly linked to specific user profiles.

The Financial Times said that Apple's position was the result of "an unacknowledged shift that lets companies follow a much looser interpretation of its controversial privacy policy." Apple has instructed developers that they "may not derive data from a device for the purpose of uniquely identifying it," which developers have interpreted to mean that they can still observe "signals" and behaviors from groups of users instead, enabling these groups to be shown tailored ads anyway.

Apple has not explicitly endorsed these techniques, but they allow third parties to track and analyze groups of users regardless of whether or not they have given consent to user-level tracking. In addition, Apple reportedly continues to trust apps to collect user-level data such as IP address, location, language, device, and screen size, even though some of this information is passed onto advertisers.

Snapchat investors were told that the company plans to share data from its 306 million users, including those who ask the app "not to track," with advertisers so that they can gain "a more complete, real-time view" of the success of ad campaigns. Likewise, Facebook is undertaking a "multiyear effort" to rebuild ad infrastructure "using more aggregated or anonymized data," according to the company's operations chief.

In June, Apple faced pressure to tighten the rules around App Tracking Transparency after it was found that third parties were using workarounds to identify users who do not consent to be tracked, but there have been no changes around looser "probabilistic" methods of user identification.

Article Link: Report: iOS Users Who Opt-Out of App Tracking Continue to Be Tracked by Facebook and Snapchat

Folks who are

 

[MrTangent]

Your statement is not 100% true. VPN adds encryption. Regarding tracking, it depends on the VPN you are using. I use ProtonVPN which includes additional features such as a secure core option, protection blocker for trackers and malware etc etc. You can also take additional steps like using Brave Browser, using an email provider that blocks trackers, adding privacy extensions to your browser. etc. etc. etc..

You suggested using TAILS which routes the TOR network. This can be extremely slowwwwwwwww. If you use TAILS but continue your normal practices such as logging into a GMail account, Google knows it's you.

What I said is 100% true. What you said is not. VPN adds encryption? So does TOR, and also truly anonymizes your IP, unlike VPN which leaves you at the behest of the VPN provider to not keep IP logs. Who really knows what your VPN provider is doing with the IP logs or your entire data profile?

Also, you seem to think VPN’s encryption protects you somehow. You’re just tunneling over your ISP. So, sure, your ISP can’t see what you’re doing but every site you go to can still use numerous methods to track you.

The only true way to avoid them entirely is the method I suggested. This way you have a truly zero memory configuration. TOR is slow, true… but rest assured you are not being tracked.

 

[FlyingDutch]

Why are you pointing out the obvious about Facebook but ignoring the fact that Apple is allowing Facebook to carry on doing what it is doing?

Upon reflection, your post is a perfect example of why Apple is allowed to get away with the things that it does because Apple fans and it's supporters always speak out about the fault and failings of others but always chose to ignore Apples involvement.

It’s Facebook that is tracking customers. Not Apple.
apple is at least trying to avoid (or minimize) that, while other companies (like google or Microsoft) are not, so your ranting about blaming Apple has very little sense.

 

[laptech]

It’s Facebook that is tracking customers. Not Apple.
apple is at least trying to avoid (or minimize) that, while other companies (like google or Microsoft) are not, so your ranting about blaming Apple has very little sense.

Do you realise the absurdity of what you just wrote 'It’s Facebook that is tracking customers. Not Apple'

And who is allowing Facebook to track customers??? APPLE!!!! Geez, the mindset of Apple fans is astounding.

 

[FlyingDutch]

Do you realise the absurdity of what you just wrote 'It’s Facebook that is tracking customers. Not Apple'

And who is allowing Facebook to track customers??? APPLE!!!! Geez, the mindset of Apple fans is astounding.

keep you classification of user for yourself, dude.
There is no mindset.

facebook is tracking. Not Apple. This is a fact.

 

[laptech]

keep you classification of user for yourself, dude.
There is no mindset.

facebook is tracking. Not Apple. This is a fact.

Apple is allowing facebook to track users. This is a fact

Apple has not explicitly endorsed these techniques, but they allow third parties to track and analyze groups of users regardless of whether or not they have given consent to user-level tracking. In addition, Apple reportedly continues to trust apps to collect user-level data such as IP address, location, language, device, and screen size, even though some of this information is passed onto advertisers.

 

[Rychiar]

I asked all my social media apps not to track yet they all have completely gather ads. Things I just looked up are constantly in my face probably more so than ever