Apple ID for Advertisers

Apple ID for Advertisers (IDFA) is a unique random device identifier which Apple generates and assigns to every device. It is intended to be used by advertisers to deliver personalized ads and attribute ad interactions for ad retargeting. Users can opt-out of IDFA via "Limit Ad Tracking" setting (and about 20% of them do it).[1] Apple plans to make IDFA sharing opt-in on a per-app basis in the spring of 2021.[2]

History

Limit Ad Tracking

In iOS 10, Apple introduced "Limit Ad Tracking" setting for users who do not wish to be tracked by advertising networks. If the setting is enabled the system returns a default all-zero id for that device. As of December 2020, it's estimated that approximately 20% of users turn on this setting.[1]

iOS 14
Main article: iOS 14

In the spring of 2021, Apple plans to restrict access to IDFA and require websites and apps to obtain an explicit permission from users before being granted access to IDFA. As of January 2021, users and developers can test this change by installing a recent iOS 14 beta.[2]

In July 2020, Facebook stated that this transparency requirement will likely hurt their advertising targeting.[3] Facebook said that these changes "may render [their tracking] so ineffective on iOS 14 that it may not make sense to offer it on iOS 14" and Facebook apps on iOS 14, including Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram, Messenger, and others will not collect IDFA on iOS 14.[4][5]

In early September, Apple postponed these restrictions until early 2021.[6]

In December 2020, Mozilla Foundation expressed support for Apple restricting access to IDFA and asked users to sign a petition to "help strengthen [Apple's] resolve to protect consumer privacy".[7]

On December 15, 2020, Facebook launched "Speak Up for Small Businesses" campaign against Apple. In this campaign, Facebook purchased full-page advertisements in newspapers and created a web page claiming Facebook tries to help small businesses. This campaign became controversial even within Facebook itself, because some employees thought Facebook was "trying to justify doing a bad thing by hiding behind people with a sympathetic message."[8]

On January 27, 2021, Google announced that when the new requirement goes into effect, a "handful" of Google apps will stop collecting IDFAs (and thus the apps will avoid displaying a prompt for allowing tracking user activity).[9]

References
  1. "What is an IDFA? Find out what an IDFA is here | Adjust | Adjust". www.adjust.com. Retrieved 2020-12-25.
  2. Statt, Nick (2021-01-28). "Apple's next iOS 14 beta will begin forcing developers to ask for permission to track you". The Verge. Retrieved 2021-01-29.
  3. Rodriguez, Salvador (2020-07-30). "Facebook says Apple's iOS 14 changes could hurt its ad targeting". CNBC. Retrieved 2020-07-31.
  4. Cox, Kate (2020-08-26). "iOS 14 privacy settings will tank ad targeting business, Facebook warns". Ars Technica. Retrieved 2020-08-27.
  5. Wagner, Kurt (2020-08-26). "Facebook Says Apple's Changes to iOS Will Dramatically Hurt Ads". Bloomberg. Retrieved 2020-09-08.
  6. Statt, Nick (3 September 2020). "Apple delays privacy feature that would let iPhone owners keep ad tracking at bay". The Verge. Retrieved 16 September 2020.
  7. "Mozilla Urges Users to Support Apple's Planned Anti-Tracking Changes: 'A Huge Win for Consumers'". MacRumors. Retrieved 2020-12-17.
  8. "Facebook Says It's Standing Up Against Apple For Small Businesses. Some Of Its Employees Don't Believe It". BuzzFeed News. Retrieved 2020-12-25.
  9. "Google to Stop Collecting Advertising Identifiers in iOS Apps in Response to iOS 14's Upcoming Tracking Prompt". MacRumors. Retrieved 2021-01-28.
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