Apple’s iOS 14, which is scheduled for official release later this year, will require that all apps receive user consent in order to access an iPhone’s unique advertising identifier (Identifier for Advertisers, or “IDFA”) or use the IDFA to automatically track users.
Currently, use of the iPhone IDFA is permitted unless the user opts-out. Apple’s iOS 14 rollout will require opt-in consent for every app, meaning that if an app wants to use the IDFA, iOS 14 will apparently first present the user with the following:
‘Name of App” would like permission to track you across apps and websites owned by other companies. Your data will be used to deliver personalized (sic) adds to you.
This will be followed by options to ‘Allow Tracking’ or “Ask App Not to Track’
Apps may track users without first obtaining consent only in the following limited scenarios:
- when user or device data from an app is linked to third-party data only on the user’s device and is not sent off the device in a way that may identify the user or the device; and
- when a data broker with whom the app developer shares data uses the data only for fraud detection, fraud prevention or security purposes, and solely on that app developer’s behalf (e.g., using a data broker to prevent credit card fraud).
Insight
This shift to opt-in consent is part of Apple’s AppTracking Transparency framework, which reflects Apple’s approach to respecting people’s privacy. This is much the same approach required by the GDPR, which requires organisations to give users control over their personal data.
If you require help with navigating the ever-changing data protection landscape then norm.‘s data protection services could be for you.