Twitter is not concerned about the upcoming ad tracking changes Apple plans to implement in iOS 14.5, Twitter CFO Ned Segal said today at the Morgan Stanley Technology, Media, and Telecom Conference.
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Segal said Twitter doesn’t rely heavily on device ID or IDFA, which Apple will limit by a new prompt that requires developers to get user consent before the IDFA can be used for ad tracking.
We look at the unique signal that Twitter has with a growing audience, with better formats and more relevance, and the ability to better leverage that signal, much of which is not tied to a device ID. We feel very good about our ability to leverage that combination.
Segal went on to explain that he expects Apple’s IDFA restrictions to “level the playing field.” Other companies have been better at making use of the data made available to them, but now everyone will face the same challenges, giving Twitter a chance to compete better with giants like Facebook.
We’re in an industry where many have historically been much better than Twitter at harnessing all the data available to them, from the device ID to what people were doing on other websites. If we all have the same set of new challenges to face, leveling the playing field will have a really interesting impact on the wider industry.
Twitter plans to wait instead of immediately asking its users if they want to sign up for IDFA tracking via a popup. “We don’t want to rush IDFA,” Segal said, explaining that app developers only get one chance to request access to the device ID. “You want to ask in a very thoughtful way” and “take the time to learn” before you “ask such a question,” he said.
Apple’s App Tracking Transparency changes are baked into iOS 14 and are now implemented, but starting with iOS 14.5, Apple will enforce the rules. All app developers must request permission before using the IDFA to track a user across websites and apps, and if a user declines, developers should respect that choice and not engage in other cross-app tracking methods.
Facebook has fought Apple’s planned privacy changes, claiming that small businesses will be unfairly affected, but Apple has made no plans to implement the IDFA prompt and Facebook and other developers will be forced to use it after the launch of iOS 14.5 in spring. .