Apple defends delay in privacy feature, slams Facebook for ad-targeting practices

Apple Inc. recently slammed Facebook and other internet giants for their ad-targeting practices in response to a letter questioning a decision by the iPhone maker to delay a new privacy feature. Previously, human rights and privacy groups, including Electronic Frontier and Human Rights Watch, had written to Apple, asking why it was delaying the introduction of a feature that would force apps to receive explicit opt-in from iPhone users before tracking them. In response, Apple criticised Facebook for trying to “collect as much data as possible,” and defended its decision to delay the feature, which was added as part of the company’s iOS 14 in September. 

Apple’s privacy-enhancing features are still not mandatory for developers to enable. The groups had written to the tech giant stating that the delay was ill-advised in the critical weeks leading to and following the 2020 US elections when users data can be used to target them with personalised political ads. According to Bloomberg, in a letter, Apple’s global head of privacy, Jane Horvath, responded to the groups and criticised Facebook and its business model. 

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Horvath explained that too often, information is collected about users on an app or website owned by one company and combined with information collected separately by other companies for targeted advertisements and advertising measurement. She said that sometimes the data is even aggregated and resold by data brokers, which are third parties. Tracking can be invasive, even “creepy,” and more often than not it takes place without meaningful user awareness or consent, Horvath added. 

She went on to tout the App Tracking Transparency (ATT) feature as part of its overall commitment to privacy and specifically named Facebook for having a “different approach” to targeting. She said that not only do they allow the grouping of users into smaller segments, but they use detailed data about online browsing activity to target ads. Horvath even added that Facebook executives have made clear that their intent is to collect as much data as possible across both first and third party products to develop monetise detailed profiles of their users. Further, she noted that this “disregard” for their user privacy continues to expand to include more their products.  

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Facebook responds to Apple’s accusations 

Apple’s claims drew a strong rebuke from Facebook, which accused the iPhone maker of using their “dominant market position” to self-preference their own data collection while making it nearly impossible for their competitors to use the same data. The social media giant accused Apple of trying to distract users from its own privacy issues. Facebook, in a statement, said that Apple claims it’s about privacy, however, the social media platforms believe that “it’s about profit”. 

Meanwhile, the feud between the two companies has been going for a while now. Back in August, Facebook had warned that the iOS update could lower publisher revenue via its Audience Network by up to 50 per cent. The same month, the social media firm had also said that it was forced to strip down the versions of Facebook Gaming available via the Apple App Store due to TOS restrictions. 

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