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Only 5% of iOS Users Allowing Apps to Track Them

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Mock of the alert that would show. It reads: "'Pal About' would like permission to track you across apps and websites owned by other companies. Your data will be used to deliver personalized ads to you." There are then two options: "Allow Tracking" or "Ask App Not to Track"

Nearly all U.S. iOS users are choosing “Ask App Not to Track.”

Sorry, Facebook! Looks like nearly all iOS users in the United States don’t want your tracking. iOS 14.5 brought a few great things, but perhaps near the top of the list was a feature that was promised last year at WWDC and delayed until this spring: app tracking opt-out prompts. Users who have not already opted out of app tracking in Settings > Privacy > Tracking will see prompts when an app wants to track their activity inside other apps. Surprising no one, people don’t like the idea of reporting all of their activity to random companies.

Facebook relies on tracking users across apps. This is not only to improve targeting but, more importantly, to charge advertisers more if the user buys something in another app after clicking an ad in Facebook. It has been the most outspoken company when it comes to Apple’s tracking protections, but other advertisers will feel the sting of iOS’s new privacy features. Early estimates believed only 30% of users would sign up for tracking. In reality, only 5% of U.S. users have allowed tracking of their activity across applications. Worldwide, that number is higher, but not by enough to appease Facebook. Just 14% of users worldwide are allowing apps to track them.

This could be the big privacy push we’ve needed to drastically change the web.

Facebook’s—and Others’—Reliance on Tracking

We discussed this at length previously, but Facebook relies on tracking users to charge businesses more for the ads they place on Facebook and Instagram. Basically, “click through” purchases, that is, purchases that started on Facebook and went to another app to buy something, are Facebook’s most important ads. These ads show Facebook that 1) The ad will be successful for other users like the one who bought something, and 2) Facebook can charge the advertiser more for a “successful” ad placement. Without that ad tracking, Facebook can’t charge an advertiser more for the ads. Small businesses actually spend less and still get relevant ads, but it won’t make Facebook ads any more relevant.

Facebook has begun suggesting that users should allow permissions to keep Facebook and Instagram “Free of charge.”

“You’re on iOS 14.5. This version of iOS requires us to ask for permission to track some data from this device to improve your ads. Learn how we limit the use of this information if you don’t turn on this device setting. We use information about your activity received from other apps and websites to: show you ads that are more personalized, help keep Facebook free of charge, support businesses that rely on ads to reach their customers.

After seeing the prompt on Facebook or Instagram, the user is then presented with the option to disallow tracking. Doing so can seriously hurt Facebook’s bottom line. Many modern advertising agencies will suffer. They all use the same basic formula: collect data and track activity. Google even tracks your location an real time to make predictions about behavior. Turns out, this is exactly the opportunity people have been looking for to fight back against invasive app spying.

Research Data Shows Dire Situation for Advertisers

Chart via Flurry Analytics, Shows 5% of users, mostly stagnating around he 4-6% mark since a day after launch

Flurry is updating these charts daily. Check out Flurry’s website for up-to-date numbers (last updated May 14th, as of this chart).

Flurry, a mobile analytics company, has been tracking the number of users worldwide and in the United States who accept ad tracking. While the number was initially stagnant at 4% in the U.S., it has grown to 6%, and now down to 5% as of this week. It’s been steady in that low range. Into the third week after launch, only 5% of U.S. users have agreed to allow Facebook and other such advertisers access to their data outside of advertisers’ respective apps. Worldwide, 14% of users allow advertisers to collect data outside of their own apps, a number that had grown to 15%, but now appears to be leveling out as people learn more about Facebook’s activity tracking.

There may be some selection bias here. Users who are more likely to upgrade their devices early are also more likely to be knowledgeable about technology. Tech-savvy users are less likely to want to give away their data and usage habits so freely. Therefore, it’s possible that lower numbers of people accepting tracking are due to more diligent users upgrading. After all, according to Flurry, only 5% of users worldwide and 3% of users in the U.S. had this blocking disabled completely before iOS 14.5. Still, these numbers are incredibly low, despite Facebook’s efforts to pump them up with messages before showing the prompt. Companies are looking at losing their view into the lives of most of their users outside of their own apps. That’s going to change their strategies.

The internet has become a place where all of your personal information is up for grabs. Your name, location, age, gender, sexuality, interests, hobbies, favorite colors, fashion choices, walking habits, exercise, food preferences, and who you likely voted for. It’s all available to advertisers. iOS 14.5 made it just a little easier to reclaim some of this data. If users choose to do so, perhaps advertisers will have to find a different way to target users. After all, ads were successful before the internet without invasive spying. Perhaps they can be once again. Maybe the internet can become a safe place for your personal data once again too.

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