Tracking Transparency
First, let me say that I love Instagram and know why it is one of the top apps on the Apple App Store.
But, if you look at the details in the App Privacy section of their preview page, you will quickly understand why Tracking Transparency is a good idea.
It’s not that Instagram tracks things that other apps don’t, because there are legitimate reasons for apps to capture data for analytics, product personalization, app functionality and so forth.
It’s THE AMOUNT of tracking that’s problematic.
Instagram is almost like two apps.
One is the hugely popular photo and video app that makes connecting with friends and sharing what you are up to super easy. (The Visible Instagram.)
And the other, is a mass data collection and profiling app that monitors your precise location, browsing history, search history, contacts, all of the content that you share … linked to your real identity … and sells it to third parties. (The Invisible Instagram.)
It is thanks to the Invisible Instagram that last week Apple enabled an important new privacy feature for people using the latest version of iOS.
App Tracking Transparency allows users to control how their apps track them by giving them a choice - Ask App Not To Track, or Allow App To Track.
This level of visibility and control has been coming for some time, but still feels like it happened fast because Apple is ahead of the market.
Changes leading up to this included (a) allowing users to switch off their Identifier For Advertisers or IDFA, and (b) requiring app publishers to disclose trackers on their review pages in the App Store.
This new step pushes the disclosure and choice where they are most relevant; right when a user starts using an app, at the point of installation.
It permits users choose differently for each app, rather than All or Nothing.
IMO, tracking transparency is generally a good idea because inspires new privacy expectations among consumers.
If there’s any downside to this, it’s that it feels like another step toward an "iOS versus Android” world, where wealthiest have their privacy protected and the rest are left to fend for themselves.
