Apple is using payment transactions information to target ads

twitter.com

26 pointsactuator3 comments

The author of the tweet exaggerates a bit, writing "Guess what does not require user opt-in: Apple knowing every single transaction made on its devices and using that information to target ads".

He's clearly trying to insinuate that consists of payments on websites, Apply Pay, etc. but is simply app store and in-app purchases. Apple's "Search Ads" that the tweets refer to are literally for the app store search bar.

See: https://searchads.apple.com/

While the framing does look exaggerated

- In app purchases can be something like an ebook you bought, I don't know how much info they are getting, but it is creepy.

- It doesn't matter which ad the targeting is used for, it means they are making user behaviour profiles and using it to show ads, the same stuff other big ad platforms are criticised for.

I long ago turned this feature off using these instructions:

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT202074

Can someone verify: is this toggled ON by default? If so, that's scummy as hell. All tracking should be opt-in. All of it. Especially since Apple is putting prompts in front of users about tracking across apps. "Privacy is a human right," remember?

I'd like to see Apple get out of this business entirely.

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