Facebook was not ashamed to express its concern about the changes to iOS 14.. Last summer, Apple first announced the changes, which include requiring apps to include a privacy feed label to show users what data is being collected and how it is being used, as well as what Apple calls App Tracking Transparency (ATT), which requires apps permission must ask before locating users.
Apple has delayed the implementation of the latter to give advertisers and developers time to adapt to the change. Now, however, it should come with the next update of iOS.
Meanwhile, Facebook has made its fight public. The company has placed some ads in three of the most widely circulated newspapers in the country, accusing Apple of attacking small businesses and the open Internet. Mark Zuckerberg also attacked Apple’s motivation last week during the company’s quarterly revenue report, and there are reports that he has considered filing an antitrust lawsuit against the iPhone maker.
Now the company has launched a new campaign, including an ad titled ‘Good Ideas Deserve to be Found’. The new ad is a bit difficult to follow, but is meant to show the value of personalized ads to small businesses. Facebook wants to make it very clear that personalized advertising offers a better experience on Facebook and Instagram, which he also owns.
In a blog post, Facebook explains why:
Everyone’s news feed is unique, which means you’re more likely to see content you want to watch, groups you want to join, creators you want to follow, and products and services you want to buy. This discovery is all driven by personalization, and it is the non-secret sauce that helps people discover products and services that suit their needs. It is also the car that small businesses use to reach their most likely customers at an affordable price. We believe that it is good for small businesses and for the people who like their products. And we want more people to know why.
There is a lot to unpack in the statement, but it is noteworthy what Facebook does not say. Facebook never talks about detection because it does not want you to think about it. It does not want you to think that the purpose of the business is to enable you to track everything you do online so that the personalized ads can appear.
The thing is, it’s not in danger. Apple does not end personalized advertising – or even tracking it. It only requires apps to ask permission first.
This leads to an interesting question. Who is the ad for? Does Facebook hope Apple will change its mind? That does not seem likely. Tim Cook has already made clear the company’s position.
The company will not stop Facebook from locating you, but you must first ask permission.
Then why is Facebook so worried? Because it knows what everyone else already knows – that when given the choice, most people would prefer not to allow Facebook to track it down.
If it’s bad for Facebook’s business, it’s not Apple’s fault. It just means that Facebook’s business model is based on something most people prefer not to do.
Except that small businesses can still advertise to their customers. They can still use all the information Facebook knows about its users, such as their gender, age, location and interests, to display ads. If you are a small business, nothing will change that. It seems like the only person who really loses is Facebook.