Knowing that Facebook tracks everything you do is one thing, but actually seeing it? Oof.
Apple officially launched iOS 14.3 on Monday, and with it came an update to the App Store that promises to change the way you look at your downloads forever. If you open an app now, Apple will provide a detailed list of ‘how developers can interact with your data[.]And when it comes to Facebook’s app family, oh man, do they ever do.
Facebook, of course, owns both Instagram and WhatsApp (as well as Oculus and a host of other brand-name services). But first, let’s take a look at the main Facebook app. Here, for your viewing pleasure, is user data that Facebook has confirmed to Apple that its “privacy practices may include treatment.[.]”
Fair warning: it’s a lot. From the (hopefully) obvious, like your phone number and contacts, to the more eyebrows like your ‘precise location’, ‘sensitive information’, ‘audio data’ and ’emails or texts’, Facebook has its fingers in many of your cakes.
Image: screenshot / app store
Image: SCREENSHOT / APP STORE
Image: SCREENSHOT / APP STORE
Image: SCREENSHOT / APP STORE
Image: SCREENSHOT / APP STORE
Image: SCREENSHOT / APP STORE
Image: SCREENSHOT / APP STORE
Image: SCREENSHOT / APP STORE
Image: SCREENSHOT / APP STORE
Image: SCREENSHOT / APP STORE
Image: SCREENSHOT / APP STORE
Image: SCREENSHOT / APP STORE
Image: SCREENSHOT / APP STORE
Image: SCREENSHOT / APP STORe
Image: SCREENSHOT / APP STORE
Image: SCREENSHOT / APP STORE
Apparently, Facebook wasn’t kind enough to have its pants pulled down completely by Apple. According to Bloomberg, Facebook placed a full-page ad in the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, and the Washington Post Blaming Apple for having the guts to highlight what Facebook is doing with user data.
Facebook, of course, didn’t frame it exactly that way. Instead, the company formulated its opposition as a bold stance in favor of “small businesses everywhere”.
Facebook has a long history of less than fully emerging, so we’ll let you judge the ad’s veracity for yourself.
If you want to see what specific apps do with your data, after updating to iOS 13.4, go to the App Store and search for the appropriate app (e.g. Instagram). Then scroll down to the ‘App Privacy’ section and click ‘View Details’.
You may not like what you see, but in the future, you can no longer say that Facebook didn’t warn you. Maybe this time you should finally listen.
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