No more tracking – what does that mean?

Thanks to an operating system update, Apple users will no longer be “tracked” by apps in the future. What is behind the new strategy of the tech group?

Since the update to the iOS 14.5 operating system, tracking by apps on Apple devices has been automatically deactivated. The group adorns itself with the image of the data protection officer – but the competition rages and complains. The most important questions and answers.

What’s new in iOS 14.5?

With the operating system 14.5, app developers now have to ask iPhone users for permission before they can track their data and movements. However, this only applies to newly installed apps. iOS 14.5 can be installed on all iPhones that also run iOS 14.0. This is true up to the iPhone 6s from 2015.

What exactly is being tracked?

Thanks to the individual number that every iPhone has, known as IDFA (Identifier for Advertisers), the preferences of the users can be tracked by the advertising companies via the installed apps. Because when surfing, users leave traces, including their IDFA, every time. The apps send the data to several corporations, such as Facebook, Google or TikTok, which then forward it to the advertising industry. This, in turn, can use it to create a profile of user behavior in order to place individualized advertising – of course preferably on the data-collecting apps from Facebook & Co.

Can’t you turn off tracking a long time ago?

In fact, on iPhones with operating systems older than iOS 14.5, it is possible to switch off the tracking of the apps. All you have to do is go to the data protection area in the settings app, the one with the gear. There you can find the menu item “Advertising” or in the newer version “Tracking”. Here you can select “Restrict ad tracking” or “Allow apps to request tracking”. “Restrict ad tracking” must be activated on older devices in order to prevent tracking. Deactivate “Allow apps to request tracking” for newer versions.

What if I refuse tracking?

If iPhone users refuse to collect data in the event of a request for tracking, the corresponding app will be permanently excluded from access to the IDFA. And Apple expects apps not to pass on other data such as phone numbers or emails.

Do you then no longer receive advertising?

The advertisements cannot be completely prevented, but they are no longer personalized. This will deal a severe blow to the ad-based business model on which many free apps like Facebook are based. It is estimated that digital advertising can make $ 350 billion a year. A restriction in personalized advertisements would therefore primarily be felt by corporations such as Facebook, Snap, Twitter or TikTok, which sell the data collected from billions of users at a high price.

Why is Apple doing this?

Apple has made customer privacy a key selling point for its products, especially the iPhone. With this, the company hopes to defend and expand its share in the premium cell phone market. In addition, Apple plans to expand its own “privacy-oriented” advertising business. Because Apple is also busy collecting data from its users. And last but not least, the procedure is also dealt a blow to the competition.

Why is the competition complaining?

If many Apple customers decide to ban tracking in the future, as industry observers expect, the major online services such as Facebook or Google fear that they will lose advertising income as a result. Because the advertising companies pay more if they can place advertisements tailored to the user. In addition, apps that can no longer sell the data they have collected must find other sources of income. This includes higher sales prices and subscriptions. Of this, Apple in turn receives a commission of 15 to 30 percent if they are offered via the App Store. The “Fortnite” developer Epic Games has filed an antitrust lawsuit against this practice. How this will end is not yet clear.