Facebook will begin rolling out a notification for iPhone users globally about how data is used for personalized ads, said the company in a blog post.
Facebook assured users that the notification won’t invade privacy and collect new types of data.
“Apple’s new prompt is designed to present a false trade-off between personalized ads and privacy; when in fact, we can provide both. Apple is doing this to self-preference their own services and targeted advertising products. To help people make a real choice, we're also showing a screen of our own to provide more information about how we use personalized ads, which support small businesses and keep apps free. Agreeing to our screen doesn’t result in Facebook collecting new types of data; it just means that Facebook can continue to give people better experiences," said a Facebook spokesperson.
This latest move is an attempt to get ahead of upcoming Apple Inc privacy changes that, according to Facebook, will hurt its advertising business.
The full-screen prompt will ask Facebook and Instagram users to allow their app and website activity to be used for personalized ads and to "support businesses that rely on ads to reach customers."
Apple and Facebook Inc have been at loggerheads over Apple's plan to ask iPhone users to allow apps to track them across other websites and apps. Facebook said that Apple's notification "suggest there is a tradeoff between personalized advertising and privacy."
The pop-up privacy notifications is expected to start appearing on most iPhones in the next few months.
“Helping you make an informed decision about Apple’s iOS 14 changes to how apps can collect and share data. Apple now requires apps to display a prompt asking for people’s permission to use information from other apps and websites — except they’ve carved out their own apps from their own rules.
“If you accept for Facebook and Instagram, the ads you see on those apps won’t change. If you decline, you will still see ads, but they will be less relevant to you.
“Apple’s prompt discourages people from opting in by leaving out important context like how personalized ads help keep apps free. This benefits Apple’s bottom line.
“To help people make an informed decision, we’re also showing our own screen with information about how we use personalized ads and the controls we offer within our apps.
“Agreeing to these prompts doesn’t mean Facebook will collect new types of data; it just means that we can continue to show you ads that are more personalized on our apps,” said Facebook in a statement.
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