Mike Peterson
Apple says the user response to its App Tracking Transparency feature has been "tremendous," and reiterated that the feature is meant to put a user in control of their own privacy.
The feature, which debuted in iOS 14.5 this week, requires developers to ask permission from users before tracking them across other apps and services. Although praised by privacy organizations, some large companies reliant on user data have been critical of the feature.
In Apple's Q2 2021 earnings call on Wednesday, Apple CEO Tim Cook said that ATT is focused on the user and giving them the ability to make a decision about their own privacy.
"Most people should make their own mind up, whether they would like to be tracked or not," Cook said, adding that ATT is meant to put the user in control, and not Apple or another company.
Cook went on to say that Apple is "standing up on behalf of the consumer" with the feature. He said that feedback from users has been "tremendous," both before and after the official release of the feature on April 26.
When asked about whether consumers are quickly adopting the opt-out feature of ATT, Cook said that he doesn't know. He added that Apple couldn't have predicted whether most consumers would opt in to tracking or opt out. However, he added that even if there was only a small number of people who use the feature to opt out, it would be worth it.
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12 Comments
I’ve only seen the prompt appear once since the update.
This is one of the best moves Apple has made to defend user privacy. Bravo Apple.
What's so baffling about this whole thing is how anyone, any company is on the opposite side, the side of let's invade customers' privacy without their consent. It's like these people have lost their minds and all sense of decency. That they actually sit together in a room and discuss how they will counter privacy protections in order to make more profit and broadcast to the world that this is the side they are on. And many of those companies will publicly support humanitarian causes. I guess when values conflict with their profit motive, they start to get a bit wavery. Put money at stake and people show their true colors; all too often it shows up some ugly colors.
It shouldn't need decent companies to police this, governments need to step up here and ban internet surveillance and fine companies for non-compliance. The amount of privacy popups on sites these days is ridiculous, ban the practise of server-side tracking entirely and get rid of the popups. This should all be client-side and in complete control by the user.
I’ve yet to see one prompt.