Apple has released a new commercial designed to bring attention to its App Tracking Transparency and the privacy benefits associated with activating the feature. Since Apple first announced the major iOS data collection change, it has proven to be somewhat controversial, with some app developers and advertisers taking issue. However, the change appears to have been positively received by users.
Apple has been working on improving user security and privacy for some time now, but the introduction of App Tracking Transparency only took place this year. Even prior to the release, Facebook and others highlighted concerns over the feature, suggesting it would impact on advertisement revenue. In Facebook’s case, even going so far as to take out full-page newspaper ads to make the argument. Regardless, the feature rolled out as part of an iOS 14.5 update and offers users the ability with a simple tap to request an app doesn't track them.
In the new ad, a person is seen buying a coffee before going about the rest of their day. The difference is, the person is then followed by the barista who seems to know more about the individual than they should. As the day continues, more join the barista in following the individual, each of them continually collecting data about the person’s habits and interests. However, the individual is able to quickly dismiss all of the people and enjoy a moment of privacy by denying an app’s tracking permission request.
In an ideal world, app developers would act responsibly and limit data collection and usage to just what it is needed for the features their apps provide. However, it is not an ideal world and there are certainly plenty of examples highlighting the data issue and how badly some apps can behave. Undoubtedly, the commercial does provide a good example of data collection and tracking, but it does place somewhat of a focus on apps being inherently negative or bad. Something which is all the more surprising considering how important the App Store is to Apple and its ever-expanding ecosystem. Furthermore, it suggests that the only way to avoid being tracked is to totally revoke the permission of all apps.
While the notion of tracking has its negative connotations, there can be benefits to allowing an app to track a user. The most obvious of which is supporting app developers. In the modern digital age, many apps and websites rely on targeted ad revenue, and not all app developers are Facebook or looking to abuse a user's data. As long as the app developers are acting responsibly, ensuring they are not collecting too much data, or anything that’s too invasive, there’s no inherent issue with allowing tracking. While it would probably make for a less entertaining commercial, it may have been beneficial for Apple to release a more balanced commercial that not only looks to protect users, but also good iOS app developers as well.
Source: Apple/YouTube
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