The Cupertino giant has announced a new privacy feature coming next spring, which will let users make their own data choices.
Apple’s long-awaited « app tracking transparency » tool, which lets users decide whether they agree to their data being tracked across various different apps and websites, will be rolling out in a matter of months. Coming in early spring as part of a new release of iOS 14, iPadOS14 and tvOS14, the feature will require apps to get users’ permission before tracking their data across other companies’ apps or websites for advertising purposes. When asked by users not to track their data, apps will also have to refrain from sharing information with data brokers. Data brokers collect information or buy it from other companies, including social media platforms, and aggregate thousands of pieces of data to create consumer profiles that can be used for targeted advertising. A new privacy report published by Apple mentions one broker that is currently collecting data on 700 million consumers worldwide, building up profiles that include as many as 5,000 characteristics. SEE: Top 10 iPad tips (free PDF) (TechRepublic) Data brokers are only one part of a web of apps, ad-tech firms, social media companies, websites and others that are interested in collecting vast amounts of information about users across different platforms. According to Apple, the average app has six trackers, which in most cases allow third parties to collect and link data from many different sources. Even when generating data while using a single app, therefore, users’ profiles end up being updated in a number of different databases around the world, often without their knowledge. This, in a nutshell, is why a quick web search for the local playground’s opening hours can lead to a week-full of nagging ads about children’s toys.
