Apple’s New Ad Conversion Tracking Will Benefit User Privacy

#1

Post by robmaceachern » Fri, Apr 06, 2018, 6:37 PM UTC

Apple’s New Ad Conversion Tracking Will Benefit User Privacy
robmaceachern.com

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

#2

Post by IBM » Fri, Apr 06, 2018, 6:48 PM UTC

>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?

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

#3

Post by [deleted] » Fri, Apr 06, 2018, 6:59 PM UTC

[deleted]

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

#4

Post by setr » Fri, Apr 06, 2018, 7:03 PM UTC

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?

PR wars I imagine. "We can't do requested feature X because Apple blocks Y".

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

#5

Post by IBM » Fri, Apr 06, 2018, 7:05 PM UTC

setr wrote: post #4

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?

PR wars I imagine. "We can't do requested feature X because Apple blocks Y".

I think Apple would care about the trials and tribulations of the ad-tech industry about as much they did when they added Intelligent Tracking Prevention to Safari (or blocked third-party cookies by default).

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

#6

Post by abritinthebay » Fri, Apr 06, 2018, 7:45 PM UTC

setr wrote: post #4

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?

PR wars I imagine. "We can't do requested feature X because Apple blocks Y".

To which Apple would basically go "...yeah, because we respect users privacy" and shrug.

Google would look pretty bad if it continued to complain at that point.

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

#7

Post by us0r » Fri, Apr 06, 2018, 7:49 PM UTC

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).

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

#8

Post by ugh123 » Fri, Apr 06, 2018, 7:53 PM UTC

>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 author portends? Whether the app uses a 3rd party sdk from Google/FB or built-in lib functionality via the class SKAdNetwork - it doesn't seem any different.

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

#9

Post by ec109685 » Fri, Apr 06, 2018, 7:56 PM UTC

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.

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

#10

Post by CharlesW » Fri, Apr 06, 2018, 8:00 PM UTC

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".