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Facebook is pushing back on Apple’s new iPhone privacy rules

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Re: Facebook is pushing back on Apple’s new iPhone privacy rules

#61

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Apple would be a hero for threatening _its own_ significant revenue streams with a pro-privacy decision, not someone else's.

... what? A doctor giving someone a new lease on life with an arm transplant isn't a hero unless they're threatening _their own_ arm by volunteering it. - In what world do things work like that?

I would say that's a false equivalency. In the Apple case, it's possibly gaining via marketing and driving people to paid apps that Apple gains revenue from.

Please don't misread me though--I'm glad Apple is doing this, I just don't think they're heroes for it.

Re: Facebook is pushing back on Apple’s new iPhone privacy rules

#63
post #4

> Some apps, like Facebook, allow for some data tracking to be manually disabled. But by default, it is turned on. That gives the company reams of personal data on who we are and what we are doing, which it then vacuums up, packages and sells. My understanding is that Facebook does not sell this data, but rather lets advertisers create hyper-targeted ads, which are only possible because of this data. Edit: Certainly…

It's a nice bit of semantic ju-jitsu to say "they take this data and sell a service that wouldn't be possible without it" isn't the same as "selling this data," isn't it? Especially given that the targeting mechanisms don't have any k-anonymity guarantees, and I'm aware of at least one paper showing information leaks through the ad portal [1] https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/documents/public_events/122...

They really don’t sell it.

You certainly say they exploit it on behalf of their customers, but we need to maintain the distinction between this, and the companies that actually do sell the data they collect, because once sold, you can never trace who is using the data, whereas with Facebook and Google’s model, you can.

It’s also worth pointing out that it’s not in Facebook’s interest to sell the data. If they did, they would lose their advantage quite quickly.

Re: Facebook is pushing back on Apple’s new iPhone privacy rules

#64
post #3

The fact that Facebook appears to consider user consent an existential threat to their business model tells me everything I need to know about them right now.

Apple just wants to be exclusive gateway to Apple customers. We are a product to both companies, even if Apple appears the lesser evil.

Re: Facebook is pushing back on Apple’s new iPhone privacy rules

#65
post #58

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Seems to me like you're more playing "semantic ju-jitsu" than OP. Facebook collect data to sell targetted adspace, they do not sell data. This is a plain fact.

They actually buy a ton of data from others. So they are encouraging a market that thrives by selling our data without our informed consent.

Very true, and very bad, but not the same thing as selling the data themselves.

Re: Facebook is pushing back on Apple’s new iPhone privacy rules

#66
you could see this as a case of apple using their monopoly powers to drive another company out of business. This whole thing seems quite deliberate on the part of Apple. They have taken the applaudable step of prioritising user privacy, and i'm not a conspiracy theorist... BUT i assume that apple will never do something if it won't ultimately help the bottom line. I'm going to invest in some popcorn and see how this plays out.

Re: Facebook is pushing back on Apple’s new iPhone privacy rules

#67
post #31

Apple should be applauded for this. Their revenue does not depend on software to clandestinely steal and sell users data. One day, we will look back at history and see facebook similar as to how people view myspace now (junkyard of software). Good on Apple not selling devices with a facebook backdoor in them. I know apple probably has deals with malicious governments regarding data access, but at least they are stand…

Between this privacy fight and the form factor of the iPhone Mini, there's a 90% chance my next phone will be an iPhone after more than a decade on Android. I'm done with this ad-sponsored trash ecosystem.

I hate Android, too, but there's no way I'm going to pay iPhone prices. Smartphones don't matter. They exist to tide me over until I can get to a proper computer. Even then I leave mine on airplane mode 90% of the time.

And the 'mini' is still huge.

Re: Facebook is pushing back on Apple’s new iPhone privacy rules

#68

> Apple says in the coming weeks, it will update its iOS software for iPhones to require apps to get explicit consent to track what people are doing on their phones for the purposes of sharing it with third-parties. That's all they are doing. They aren't preventing companies from tracking users in this way. They are just requiring them to get permission. Says a lot about Facebook's business model that this is a cause…

What is to stop Facebook from making a picture show up all fuzzy and then tell the user that they should opt-in to tracking to get the highest resolution pictures.

Re: Facebook is pushing back on Apple’s new iPhone privacy rules

#69

What spin. "This will hurt small businesses in TV and Radio." Really!? That's the best argument they can come up with?

The actual quote: Facebook has also launched a website and taken out full-page advertisements in newspapers, in addition to a recent TV and radio ad push, to put a spotlight on how many small business owners depend on targeted ads.

This is definitely a true statement. The vast majority of small businesses who advertise on FB will be hurt by this change. The best estimate to date is a 20-30% drop in marketing efficiency due to worse targeting capabilities. Some of these small businesses will inevitably go out of business due to this change (for better or worse).

Re: Facebook is pushing back on Apple’s new iPhone privacy rules

#70
post #3

The fact that Facebook appears to consider user consent an existential threat to their business model tells me everything I need to know about them right now.

Normally, I'd ignore any marketing touting new privacy features in iOS, but Facebook's response has convinced me this isn't just an empty gesture from Apple.
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