In iOS 14.5, Apple took a stand against the way that apps quietly tracking your data had become almost a normal practice. Apps now need to explicitly ask permission before serving targeted ads and the like, and you can simply tap Ask Apps Not To Track You to give them a resounding “no thanks!” In fact, early data suggested just 4% of Americans has enabled tracking since it became an opt-in system.
Apple has been riding that privacy train for several years now. It’s marketing department clearly understands that it’s a great USP for the company – not only does it offer great security for your personal data, it does so in a way few rivals could hope to match. Where other tech giants are reliant on data collection to fuel sales or ad businesses, Apple is content to sit back, sell you an expensive device, and call it a day. No data required.
So it’s no surprise to see those recent App Tracking Transparency measures highlighted in an amusing video ad for the iPhone. A minute-long commercial from Apple gives those trackers physical form, represented by people from various companies stalking the protagonist and watching everything he does. Then, he turns off tracking via the prompt on his iPhone, and poof! The stalkers disappear.
It’s a bold visualization for tracking and one that comes hot on the heels of Apple’s App Tracking Transparency explainer, a two-minute animated video that shows a more detail-oriented version of how tracking works and why you might want to disable it. Both hammer the point home that user choice is what’s important here.
If you want to read even more about the tracking features in iOS 14.5, see our article on the subject.