Apple Vs Facebook: Tim Cook Says FB Won't Track iOS 14 Users Without Permission

Following Facebook¡¯s full-page newspaper ads against the restricted data collection in Apple¡¯s latest iOS update, Apple CEO Tim Cook has now responded with a tweet.

(Representative Image: Reuters)

With an image of a prompt on the new iOS, Cook explained to Facebook just how the app tracking permission would work on the new iOS version.

With the new iOS 14 update, Apple had been targeting to bring more user privacy for iPhone owners. The company planned to do so by restricting the data collected by other platforms/ apps being run on the devices. Facebook called this to be a huge setback for targeted advertisements, which would ultimately affect small businesses indulged in such advertising.

Facebook had said that targeted advertising brings in about 60% of sales for small businesses and had alleged that Apple¡¯s latest change in policy would affect small businesses¡¯ ability to tailor ads as per the viewers, thus hampering the sales.

Apple CEO Tim Cook (Image: Reuters)

Facebook made these concerns public by running full-page newspaper ads on Wednesday on several publications. In response, Apple CEO Tim Cook took to Twitter and clarified just how the new iOS would change the data collection process.

As per Cook, the new iOS would still allow Facebook to collect data points from the user across apps and websites, just as before. The only change, Cook mentioned, is that iOS 14 would first ask users for consent before this data is collected.

The Apple Chief shared an image along with his tweet explaining how this would work. The image shows a supposed prompt by Facebook app on iOS 14, asking for user¡¯s permission to collect data across other companies¡¯ apps and websites. Within the prompt, Facebook will even have space to explain to the user why it needs to track these activities,

(Image: Tim Cook/ Twitter)

The users will then have an option of allowing or disallowing this data collection. Explaining the reason for this transparency, Cook writes, ¡°We believe users should have the choice over the data that is being collected about them and how it¡¯s used. Facebook can continue to track users across apps and websites as before, App Tracking Transparency in iOS 14 will just require that they ask for your permission first.¡±

With this, Cook has answered Facebook¡¯s questions around data collection in the new iOS and from what seems to be the case, this data collection will still continue as before. Of course, Apple users will now have a greater say in this process, being able to choose which apps to share their data with.