Back in June, Apple announced that they will be making a significant update to the settings section on the iPhone. In hopes to offer a more secure experience, Apple is making a privacy option more visible and available to users. Once the update goes live it will show iPhone users a pop-up window when they use an app. The pop-up will warn users that the app is collecting and tracking their data for advertising purposes. Users will then have the option to block the app from gathering and using that information. 

While this IDFA tracking system change will ultimately help people better protect their information, it also has the potential to drastically change the way we advertise. The data gathered through traffic can be extremely valuable for creating and running targeted ads. Some advertisers are already raising concerns. Many are trying to figure out how to move forward with their advertising efforts without breaking these new rules in fear of getting kicked out of Apple’s App Store. Some companies also feel that Apple has not provided enough information or support to help navigate this new change.

Facebook has become one of the most vocal companies coming out against these changes, with their main argument centered around small businesses. They’ve stated: “Facebook is speaking up for small businesses. Apple’s new iOS 14 policy will have a harmful impact on many small businesses that are struggling to stay afloat and on the free internet that we all rely on more than ever.”  

To better help their cause, Facebook has created content and campaigns against Apple and in response, Apple has stated: “We believe that this is a simple matter of standing up for our users. Users should know when their data is being collected and shared across other apps and websites – and they should have the choice to allow that or not. App Tracking Transparency in iOS 14 does not require Facebook to change its approach to tracking users and creating targeted advertising, it simply requires they give users a choice.”

However, Facebook still isn’t letting up. This week, the platform is hosting a series of webinars to explain further what these changes will bring and the impact they will have. Ultimately time will tell and it will be interesting to see how Facebook navigates these potential updates.