Facebook Reluctantly Complies with Apple’s New Privacy Feature as it has ‘No Choice’

Facebook has sent an email to the businesses and companies stating that they have to comply with the iOS 14 App Tracking Transparency (ATT) feature. The feature would ask the users’ permission to track their behavior and show them personalized ads. It also added that if Facebook didn’t agree to the privacy terms of Apple’s iOS version 14, then there is a risk of the Facebook app being removed from the App store.

Though Facebook has an opposing campaign against Apple’s ATT feature, it has no choice but to compromise with its terms and conditions. Facebook also ran full-page newspaper ads by giving its argument against Apple’s privacy changes.

The email sent by Facebook to its business users assured that the privacy changes would have an uncompromising effect in targeting, optimization, and measuring the efficacy of the campaign for the businesses that advertise on mobile and the web.

Facebook criticized Apple’s new tracking rules as, “It is about profit and not privacy.” The policies will benefit only Apple, and it will be a constraint for the medium and small-sized businesses that depend on personalized ads. “We believe that personalized ads and user privacy can coexist”, Facebook added.

Facebook has also put forward the idea of ​​giving guidelines and advice for the companies and businesses to prepare for the upcoming features. Facebook previously stated that without the personalized ads, the small business advertisers would see a cut of over 60% in their sales for every dollar they spend.

Though online businesses like Facebook rely on advertising and have gone against Apple for adding this feature, some organizations and privacy groups have appreciated Apple for coming up with such a feature as it contributes to the privacy of the users.

Limiting the personalized ads can affect the large companies, but there would be devastating change and challenges to the small businesses, said Facebook.

Initially planned to launch in iOS 14, the anti-tracking feature was delayed by Apple till 2021. The anti-tracking feature is expected to release in early 2021, but the official date has not been announced yet.