What you need to know
- Facebook has begun testing prompts for users to accept tracking for a better ads experience.
- The company is trying to work out which prompt will get the most users to accept tracking.
As reported by CNBC, Facebook is trying to beat Apple to the punch and encourage users of its iOS app to allow tracking in order to preserve its advertising business on the platform before Apple's new App Tracking Transparency rules go into place.
Facebook on Monday will begin urging some iPhone and iPad users to let the company track their activity so the social media giant can show them more personalized ads. The move comes alongside Apple's planned privacy update to iOS 14, which will inform users about this kind of tracking and ask them if they want to allow it.
According to the report, Facebook will begin to show users a prompt explaining why users should allow tracking, making the argument that it will provide a more personalized advertising experience.
Facebook is testing the effects of this update now, before Apple makes it mandatory for all apps early this spring. As part of this test, Facebook will begin showing some users its own prompts starting on Monday, explaining why it wants to track this activity and asking users to opt in. These prompts will appear on Apple users' screens immediately before the Apple pop-up appears.
Users will choose whether to "Allow" or "Don't Allow" tracking on the prompt. If a user chooses to not allow tracking, Facebook will turn off tracking immediately.
One test version of the Facebook prompt has a bold-faced header asking "Allow Facebook to use your app and website activity?" and claims that Facebook uses that information to "provide a better ads experience." It will then offer users a choice between "Don't Allow" and "Allow." (The precise language and appearance of the Facebook prompt may vary.) No matter which selection users make on the Facebook prompt, if they choose not to allow tracking on the Apple pop-up, that choice will be final and Facebook will honor it.
Apple has informed developers that apps will need to begin asking for permission if they are tracking in the next beta release of iOS 14, and the company has updated its App Store Review Guidelines to reflect the new rules.
