Hacker News Reader

Comment by abtom | Hacker News Reader

I highly doubt this blocking by Apple will have much of an impact on Facebook's tracking ability. For one, any time you use the internet via mobile data, Facebook (or any other site) will get your phone number, name and other personal data via your ISP. There have been several threads on HN regarding this in the past. When you're not, your IP address along with data via fingerprinting techniques would be more than enough to uniquely identify you.

This is only likely to make it slightly harder to track the small fraction of users already taking strong measures to prevent being tracked.

View on HN

If it has FB screaming this loudly, I'm guessing it is having much more impact at FB than you are giving it credit. If it meant nothing to FB, then they'd just look at the changes from Apple, and shrug it off. No public outcry necessary. This is not what FB is doing.

The US gov puts massive pressure on Apple and Google to insert backdoors into their phones even though third parties have forever been able to crack them. It's all about cost.

The first party tracking enablement was given to Facebook for free since the beginning. Now it's being taken back. Now they need to pay ISPs and invest more strongly in fingerprinting efforts.

I'm all for the move - it is a step in the right direction. But in isolation, it doesn't change much for end users - they are still being tracked at a similar level. Facebook is trying to spin it as an end to personalized ads as a whole, which it definitely isn't.

Let’s assume that it wouldn’t impact Facebook’s tracking ability. If so, there’s nothing to worry for Facebook. It’s surprising that Facebook is engaging in a PR war with Apple for something that doesn’t impact their core business.

You could say it is cutting off the most accurate and cost efficient method for Facebook to track iOS users. A dozen other tracking methods still exist but they might be slightly worse in terms of cost/accuracy. Definitely something to cry about.

So, it DOES have an impact on Facebook's tracking ability.

> This is only likely to make it slightly harder to track the small fraction of users already taking strong measures to prevent being tracked.

This statement isn't correct. That small fraction of the user would've already turned off IDFA tracking. With this move Apple is merely prompting the user before turning the tracking on. I'd say FB is worried about the larger fraction of the users who aren't privacy conscious.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com