Not worried about Apple IDFA’s privacy change

Twitter chief financial officer Ned Segal said on Wednesday that the social media company feels confident as it prepares for Apple’s planned privacy update on iOS 14, which will make it easier for iPhone and iPad users to prevent companies from taking up their activity track to target ads.

“We are looking at the unique signal that Twitter has had with a growing audience, with better formats and more relevance and the ability to make better use of the signal, many of which are not linked to a device ID,” Segal said in the Morgan. Stanley Technology, Media and Telecommunications Conference. “We feel really good about our ability to leverage the combination.”

Apple’s upcoming privacy changes will inform users about tracking device IDs and ask them if they want to allow it. The detection is based on a unique device identifier on each iPhone and iPad called IDFA. Companies selling mobile ads use this ID to target ads and estimate their effectiveness.

Apple said the change will begin in early spring.

Segal said the changes could provide IDFA with an opportunity for Twitter to compete more effectively against its peers.

“IDFA is going to level the playing field in a way. We’re in an industry where it was much, much better than Twitter to use all the data available to them, from the device ID to what people did on others. sites, “said Segal.” If we all have the same set of new challenges that we have to face, the playing field will have a very interesting impact on the wider industry. “

Segal said Twitter intends to sit back and wait rather than immediately asking its iOS users if they want to opt for IDFA detection, as Facebook plans.

“We do not want a rush by IDFA,” he said. “You only have one chance to ask someone if you have access to their device ID to show them more relevant ads. You want to ask in a very thoughtful way and you want to take time out of the industry and the wider ecosystem. before you ask such a question. ‘