iOS 14 privacy feature delay will help advertisers cope with revenue hit

I have little sympathy for advertisers who covertly spy and steal user information, but the practical matter is the current structure of the internet is built around this model. As long as the 'new advertising technology algorithms' don't involve circumventing privacy I'm ok giving them a little more time. Like a week or two.

For example, without IDFA tracking, businesses dependent on targeted advertising will likely need alternative statistical methods or models to match user profiles with products, services, and ads.
The only thing delayed implementation does is give advertisers more time to perfect their device fingerprinting algorithms.  Lovejoy wrote a depressing opinion piece over at 9to5.  

https://9to5mac.com/2020/09/04/ad-industry-tracking/#disqus_thread

The TLDR version is Facebook's caterwauling might just be theatrics designed to lull the concerned into a false sense of security about iOS 14's app permissions.  Reminds me of the government's "woe is me" tiny violin playing regarding device unlocking.  Me thinks they doth protest too f'n much.

CloudTalkin said:

For example, without IDFA tracking, businesses dependent on targeted advertising will likely need alternative statistical methods or models to match user profiles with products, services, and ads.

The only thing delayed implementation does is give advertisers more time to perfect their device fingerprinting algorithms.  Lovejoy wrote a depressing opinion piece over at 9to5.  https://9to5mac.com/2020/09/04/ad-industry-tracking/#disqus_thread

The TLDR version is Facebook's caterwauling might just be theatrics designed to lull the concerned into a false sense of security about iOS 14's app permissions.  Reminds me of the government's "woe is me" tiny violin playing regarding device unlocking.  Me thinks they doth protest too f'n much.

That's interesting. A couple of people followed up by saying when they tried the same tests as Lovejoy, the test site couldn't uniquely identify them. According to this white paper, Apple is already working on defeating device fingerprinting.

https://www.apple.com/safari/docs/Safari_White_Paper_Nov_2019.pdf

Fingerprinting defense

In addition to blocking cookie-based tracking, Safari works to prevent advertisers and websites from using the unique combination of characteristics of a device to create a “fingerprint” to track the user online. Some of these characteristics include the device and browser configuration and the fonts and plug-ins that have been installed. To combat fingerprinting, Safari presents a simplified version of the system configuration to trackers so more devices look identical, making it harder to single one out. And unlike some other browsers, Safari doesn’t add any custom tracking headers or unique identifiers to web requests. On other browsers, these headers can include things like location, sign-in status, account information, features enabled, and other data that can be used for cross-site tracking.

But of course, this will only work if you're using Safari.

This is shit.  Only thing I was looking forward to in iOS 14.  

Rayz2016 said:

CloudTalkin said:

For example, without IDFA tracking, businesses dependent on targeted advertising will likely need alternative statistical methods or models to match user profiles with products, services, and ads.

The only thing delayed implementation does is give advertisers more time to perfect their device fingerprinting algorithms.  Lovejoy wrote a depressing opinion piece over at 9to5.  https://9to5mac.com/2020/09/04/ad-industry-tracking/#disqus_thread

The TLDR version is Facebook's caterwauling might just be theatrics designed to lull the concerned into a false sense of security about iOS 14's app permissions.  Reminds me of the government's "woe is me" tiny violin playing regarding device unlocking.  Me thinks they doth protest too f'n much.

That's interesting. A couple of people followed up by saying when they tried the same tests as Lovejoy, the test site couldn't uniquely identify them. According to this white paper, Apple is already working on defeating device fingerprinting.

https://www.apple.com/safari/docs/Safari_White_Paper_Nov_2019.pdf

Fingerprinting defense

In addition to blocking cookie-based tracking, Safari works to prevent advertisers and websites from using the unique combination of characteristics of a device to create a “fingerprint” to track the user online. Some of these characteristics include the device and browser configuration and the fonts and plug-ins that have been installed. To combat fingerprinting, Safari presents a simplified version of the system configuration to trackers so more devices look identical, making it harder to single one out. And unlike some other browsers, Safari doesn’t add any custom tracking headers or unique identifiers to web requests. On other browsers, these headers can include things like location, sign-in status, account information, features enabled, and other data that can be used for cross-site tracking.

But of course, this will only work if you're using Safari.

I basically ignored the individual anecdotes for Lovejoy and the comments.  Personal anecdotes are fairly useless as purveyors of factual information imo.  Ben said he could be traced.  Someone else said they couldn't.  ¯\_(ツ)_/¯  The important thing to me is the actual info about the processes.  Apple's countermeasures are a good thing, an important thing, but also a thing that is constantly being counterattacked.  More importantly, you note, it only works if the user accesses the web via Safari.   The additional time allotted before implementation in iOS 14 simply allows advertisers to 1. poke at Safari and 2. further mitigate the effectiveness of the privacy feature once it's live.

I wonder if AI is going to avail itself of the fingerprinting tech?  This is an ad supported site (like most of the internet sites) that probably won't fare too well if the privacy feature goes live and they have no way around it.