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Soon Apple Will Add App Tracking Information To iOS

By February 5, 2021May 11th, 2022Technology News

Recently, Apple announced two important new improvements to the way the company handles and tracks user data.

That includes data used by third-party apps downloaded and installed from the Apple App Store.

According to the company’s statement, both changes would be available by late spring of this year (2021).

The first of these is an easy-to-understand report entitled “A Day in the Life of your Data,” which is meant to serve as an illustrative guide explaining how companies track user data across websites and apps. The idea behind the report is that by giving users a better and more comprehensive understanding of the kinds of data companies are most interested in and how they make use of it, consumers will be in a much better position to make informed decisions about if or whether to share personally identifiable data in the first place.

Even more significantly than the report though, is the company’s new App Tracking Transparency feature that will require apps to request permission from users before tracking them across other apps and websites. The new tool will also give users a bird’s eye view of exactly which apps have requested permission to track so they can make changes to those settings as they see fit.

The changes, while excellent in theory, have also raised some hackles. Facebook, to name one example, bristled at the notion that Apple would dare even attempt to block the ubiquitous app’s ability to track Apple users across the web. There appears to be little that Facebook can do about it, but the social media giant has certainly made their displeasure known where the newly planned feature is concerned.

Privacy advocates see this as a huge step forward and a major win for the end user. Naturally, companies that make a mint by tracking and selling user data are less than thrilled about it. For far too long, they’ve had a free hand and it’s well past time to rein them in. Kudos to Apple for the coming changes.

Jason Manteiga

Jason J. Manteiga, Vice President of Olmec Systems, has been part of the company for over the past 20 years. He believes that having a great work environment and supportive team, is the ultimate key to success. Since being in the IT realm for over 25 years, Jason, along with Olmec Systems, has been on the Inc. 5000 “List of America’s Fastest Growing Private Companies” and Channel Futures MSP 501 “Top Managed Service Providers in North America,” along with other awards and nominations. Jason earned his Bachelor Degree in Information Systems from the New Jersey Institute of Technology. He also holds certifications in Microsoft MCSE, VMWare VCP, and Cisco CCNA. In his spare time, Jason is a contributor for The Center for Social & Legal Research (Privacy Exchange) and a member of the Morris County Chamber of Commerce. His hobbies include cycling and kayaking. He currently lives in New Jersey with his wife, two daughters and son.