Facebook attacked Apple today in a series of full-page newspaper ads, claiming that the privacy changes in iOS 14 regarding data collection and targeted ads are bad for small businesses (via Bloomberg).
The ads are displayed in it New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and Washington Post, with the headline “We stand up for Apple for small businesses everywhere.”
Earlier this year, Apple introduced a number of privacy changes that curtail the ability of companies such as Facebook to collect data about users and collect targeted ads. In iOS 14, Apple created the “Advertiser Identifier,” used by Facebook and its advertising partners for ad targeting, an opt-in feature that provides greater transparency for users who prefer not to be tracked across apps and websites. The update simply asks users whether they want to agree to ad tracking or prevent cross-app and cross-site tracking to show targeted ads.
IOS 14 also has a prominent “Tracking” section in the Privacy section of the Settings app, where users can turn off the option for apps to track them completely. Even with this feature turned off, apps still have to ask for permission to track users through apps and websites owned by other companies, which is a blow to the silent ad-related tracking that goes on behind the scenes.
Facebook has previously warned that Apple’s changes would create problems not only for its own business model, but also for small businesses using its platform to advertise. Facebook claims that ads served without personalized targeting drive 60 percent fewer sales than ads that do target consumers.
Apple responded to criticism after delaying the rollout of the new privacy controls and accused Facebook of making clear its intention to “ collect as much data as possible about both its own and third-party products in order to develop detailed profiles of their users and make money. to earn with it, and this disregard. because user privacy continues to expand and include more of their products. “
The full-page ads are the latest salvo in the growing tensions between the companies. Facebook has heavily criticized Apple in recent months for penalizing the company’s App Store policy of “strangling as a gatekeeper” and its fee structure. It has also repeatedly made allegations of anti-competitive behavior at Apple, such as not allowing Messenger to be selected as the default on iOS.
With iOS 14.3, Apple introduced App Store privacy labels, which clearly indicate to users how data is collected by apps they want to download. Last week, Facebook-owned WhatsApp protested the App Store’s privacy labels, saying users may be discouraged from using the app.