Apple shares new iPhone privacy ad highlighting how data brokers use your info

Apple has shared a new ad that highlights how data brokers take information and sell it to the highest bidder. The ad, part of Apple's ongoing iPhone privacy push, follows someone who stumbles upon an auction as people bid to buy their data.

The ad, which is available via YouTube and will be backed up by a TV and billboard presence, highlights some of the iOS 15 features that people can use to try and take back control of their data including their location, browsing history, and more.

Apple has long focused on privacy as a key selling point for its iPhone lineup and it continues to add features aimed at helping people control who can and cannot access their information. Features like App Tracking Transparency mean that people are more aware than ever of which apps are tracking their usage while advanced Safari anti-tracking features help to keep your IP address out of the hands of data brokers.

Those interested in learning more about the steps they can take to protect their privacy, and the features available to them, can read more on Apple's website. Apple also published a document titled A Day in the Life of Your Data last year, explaining how data brokers and other companies use our data for profit.

Data brokers collect and sell, license, or otherwise disclose to third parties the personal information of particular individuals with whom they do not have a direct relationship.

As privacy becomes more than a buzzword for people around the world, and amid ongoing concerns about the amount of information companies like Meta and Google collect, Apple's commitment to protecting data could be the best iPhone feature of all. This ad, while humorous, is spot on — left unchecked, our devices can leak all kinds of information to companies, often without us even realizing it.