Mike Peterson
Facebook is alerting business users on its platform that new privacy features in iOS 14 could "significantly impact" their marketing and advertising efforts.
The social media giant has criticized the upcoming privacy changes, which will make a specific tracking tag explicitly opt in, in a blog post and full-page newspaper ads.
Now, it appears that Facebook is using banners in Facebook Business Suite and Facebook Ad Manager on iOS to get its message across.
This is the most Facebook thing ever... pic.twitter.com/pbOeD47HrE
— Jason Aten (@JasonAten) December 18, 2020
Banners in both apps now claim that "Apple has announced product and policy changes that may significantly impact the way you can run ads, measure performance, and engage customers."
Earlier in 2020, Facebook estimated that advertising revenue could drop by between 50% and 60% because of the new privacy features. Since then, Facebook has repeatedly taken swipes at Apple, and vice versa.
Initially slated to go into effect when iOS 14 launched, Apple delayed the rollout of the anti-tracking features until 2021 to give developers more time to prepare.
The privacy feature affects the Identifier for Advertiser (IDFA), which allows advertisers to collect data across apps and platforms. When the changes debut, IDFA users will need to explicitly opt in to IDFA tracking.
AppleInsider Staff
Malcolm Owen
Oliver Haslam
Andrew O'Hara
Wesley Hilliard
William Gallagher
Christine McKee
26 Comments
Perhaps even more scary for Facebook and all the ad sellers selling targeted ads is if the collapse of their entire business model in the iOS arena doesn't cause havoc, and the emperor suddenly appears naked in public.
I've always had serious doubts about the efficacy of targeted ads - I tend to see them primarily after I've bought an item (and am no longer in the market).
I suppose if you're the type who hems and haws and takes days or weeks to make a purchase this could have an effect on you, but once I've decided to pull the trigger I go in, visit a few sites, and simply do it.
It's not like all those targeted ads get you a better deal or something.
How evil their whole argument, “fewer options for us to track, surveil and generally violate everyone’s individual privacy means less profit for you, so be prepared for this horrible attack on your business all because Apple.”
How much control and personal privacy are people willing to cede to these greedy bastards? Is it any wonder why all dystopian future fiction depicts corporations the same way?
Well at least they’re finally making it more clear who the real customer is: businesses who want to market stuff to us. Better than pretending the users of the app are their customers.