A survey shows that some iOS app developers have found a new way to track users’ apps, even if they choose the new app tracking transparency feature in iOS 14.5 and newer. As early as April of this year, Apple began to launch iOS 14.5 and iPadOS 14.5, these two updated systems allow iPhone and iPad users to opt-out of ad tracking.
This feature is called App Tracking Transparency (ATT), and it forces app developers to obtain user permission before tracking user activity to obtain targeted advertising—at least in theory. It is not surprising that advertisers oppose this feature.
Because this feature may scare users and make them give up tracking and thus take away potential revenue. Facebook has always been the most strongly opposed to ATT and even described it as the end of advertising. In addition, the company also published multiple advertisements in newspapers to arouse more public debate.
However, it turns out that Facebook’s concerns are unfounded to some extent. According to a survey conducted by The Washington Post and app developer Lockdown, even if you opt-out of app tracking, at least three popular iPhone games are still sending user data to third parties. This data includes everything except the advertiser ID (IDFA) number, which is used as a fingerprint to collect any information about the user’s activities and preferences on Apple devices.
For example, if you tell Subway Surfers that you don’t want to be tracked, the game still sends no less than 29 specific data points about your device to a company called Chartboost—including your IP address, available storage space, and accurate to the decimal point.
Three-digit volume and battery power accurate to 15 digits after the decimal point. Advertisers will not be able to use your IDFA, but this other information can be used to give you a unique identifier and allow companies to track you on various apps and websites.
Apple said that once opted out, it is impossible to be tracked, but advertisers have found a way to continue to do so. It’s more complicated and less accurate, but it proves that companies that want to bypass Apple’s privacy rules can do so with a little creative thinking. However, application developers who adopt this approach also face the risk of apps being kicked out of the App Store.
Johnny Lin, the co-founder of Lockdown and former Apple iCloud engineer, pointed out: ATT is invalid when it comes to blocking third-party trackers. What’s worse is that allowing users to click on the required apps not to track’ button may even give Users have a wrong sense of privacy.
So far, no application has been banned from bypassing ATT. Considering that the vast majority of Apple users choose not to track at all, you might think that Apple should be more vigilant, but after a few weeks of receiving notifications about violating apps, nothing has changed.
