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Apple’s New Ad Conversion Tracking Will Benefit User Privacy

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Re: Apple’s New Ad Conversion Tracking Will Benefit User Privacy

#11

Post by MBCook »

ec109685 wrote: post #9
ugh123 wrote: post #8

>The new APIs are part of the StoreKit framework and include a new class called SKAdNetwork. >With the new set of APIs, Apple will become the intermediary between the app and advertising network for conversion tracking, eliminating the need for apps to install third-party ad SDKs which potentially expose sensitive user data. Am I missing something or is this not really any different than the 3rd party ad SDK problem…

You can’t track users from advertising click through opening the app after downloading the app from the App Store. So networks have to do all kinds of tricks like try to fingerprint the user to associate the advertising click and the app open. This should make it much cleaner.

Plus after this has been around for a while Apple can add a policy banning other ad networks from using other means to track users.

Re: Apple’s New Ad Conversion Tracking Will Benefit User Privacy

#12

Post by lev99 »

IBM wrote: post #2

>I can’t see Google and Facebook being thrilled about implementing support for this, but given the recent scandal involving Cambridge Analytica, Apple should have extra leverage to push them in this direction. If Apple makes it an App Store policy, what choice do they have?

Google and Facebook both interact with Apple in a lot of ways. If Apple makes it an App Store policy they will have options in how to attack back.

Re: Apple’s New Ad Conversion Tracking Will Benefit User Privacy

#13

Post by macintux »

us0r wrote: post #7

Apples fake privacy concerns. They allow apps like gas buddy to wholesale sell your real time location to governments by using vague language in their privacy policies (which I cannot even find a link to on their homepage).

You have control over your data: you can choose whether GasBuddy has access to your location always, never, or only during use.

This is one case where iOS widgets can impact your privacy: setting it to 'only during use' also qualifies the widget to refresh your location when it displays. It's not obvious to me whether any access of the widget screen is sufficient or whether you have to scroll past/to the GasBuddy widget to explicitly trigger that.

Anyway, Apple has been a loud advocate for privacy, and its CEO has strong personal reasons for valuing it.

Re: Apple’s New Ad Conversion Tracking Will Benefit User Privacy

#14

Post by Skunkleton »

CharlesW wrote: post #10
us0r wrote: post #7

Apples fake privacy concerns. They allow apps like gas buddy to wholesale sell your real time location to governments by using vague language in their privacy policies (which I cannot even find a link to on their homepage).

> They allow apps like gas buddy to wholesale sell your real time location… You control this. I don't recall whether this app supports "Never" as a Privacy > Location Services choice, but you can choose "While Using" instead of "Always".

You _really_ control this. If you don't like Gas Buddy's privacy policy just don't install it.

Re: Apple’s New Ad Conversion Tracking Will Benefit User Privacy

#15

Post by tinus_hn »

CharlesW wrote: post #10
us0r wrote: post #7

Apples fake privacy concerns. They allow apps like gas buddy to wholesale sell your real time location to governments by using vague language in their privacy policies (which I cannot even find a link to on their homepage).

> They allow apps like gas buddy to wholesale sell your real time location… You control this. I don't recall whether this app supports "Never" as a Privacy > Location Services choice, but you can choose "While Using" instead of "Always".

The developer doesn't get to choose not to support 'Never' and with iOS 11 doesn't get to choose not to support 'While using' either. It maybe though that the app can't work without knowing your location, which sounds likely for an app that is supposed to tell you something related to your location.

Re: Apple’s New Ad Conversion Tracking Will Benefit User Privacy

#16

Post by ksk »

us0r wrote: post #7

Apples fake privacy concerns. They allow apps like gas buddy to wholesale sell your real time location to governments by using vague language in their privacy policies (which I cannot even find a link to on their homepage).

Do you want less or more user control? Or should Apple control everything? I'm certainly not a fan of Apple but I respect their ability to mostly just stick the to basics of you give me $100 and I give you this product of equal (sic) value.

Re: Apple’s New Ad Conversion Tracking Will Benefit User Privacy

#17

Post by tinus_hn »

MBCook wrote: post #11
ec109685 wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You can’t track users from advertising click through opening the app after downloading the app from the App Store. So networks have to do all kinds of tricks like try to fingerprint the user to associate the advertising click and the app open. This should make it much cleaner.

Plus after this has been around for a while Apple can add a policy banning other ad networks from using other means to track users.

Apple can just change Safari so it doesn't automatically open the App Store on redirects or from javascript. That way you'd have to direct the user to a tracking page and then he'd have to click another link to open the App Store. I doubt their tracking would be worth enough to put up hoops like that for the user to jump through.

Re: Apple’s New Ad Conversion Tracking Will Benefit User Privacy

#18

Post by giancarlostoro »

Skunkleton wrote: post #14
CharlesW wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> They allow apps like gas buddy to wholesale sell your real time location… You control this. I don't recall whether this app supports "Never" as a Privacy > Location Services choice, but you can choose "While Using" instead of "Always".

You _really_ control this. If you don't like Gas Buddy's privacy policy just don't install it.

My thoughts exactly. When I don't like something an app is doing I don't install it. I remember when I'd try free games on Android that requested every permission under the sun I would not install those apps. I've even seen some apps share in the description "Removed the crazy permissions due to complaints, sorry guys did not mean to upset you" or something along those lines. So sometimes it's not malicious, but it is scary that an offline only game needs so much access to your phone.

Re: Apple’s New Ad Conversion Tracking Will Benefit User Privacy

#19

Post by Someone »

ugh123 wrote: post #8

>The new APIs are part of the StoreKit framework and include a new class called SKAdNetwork. >With the new set of APIs, Apple will become the intermediary between the app and advertising network for conversion tracking, eliminating the need for apps to install third-party ad SDKs which potentially expose sensitive user data. Am I missing something or is this not really any different than the 3rd party ad SDK problem…

The way I understand this: doing this in your application requires you to have network access, which means you have to convince your user to give it to you.

This gives you a way to count installs (and almost nothing else; you probably can assume arrival times correlate with time of installation and learn something about your global user base from that, but that’s all I can think of) without getting any permission from the user.

Applications can still use the old approach, but that’s more work and won’t produce accurate install counts. Apple thinks the end result will be that fewer apps will do it, making the dialog asking for network access rarer, and users more wary of giving the permission.

Re: Apple’s New Ad Conversion Tracking Will Benefit User Privacy

#20

Post by urda »

us0r wrote: post #7

Apples fake privacy concerns. They allow apps like gas buddy to wholesale sell your real time location to governments by using vague language in their privacy policies (which I cannot even find a link to on their homepage).

> Apples fake privacy concerns.

Apple has been a loud, proven advocate and supporter of Privacy. This comment is all snark and nothing factual.

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