New Apple Update has Potential to Decrease Targeting Abilities Through Facebook ads
Privacy changes through Apple’s newest iOS update will likely limit the collection of user data, curbing the ability to personalize Facebook ads. The biggest change will likely occur in Audience Network from Facebook, which is what gives advertisers the ability to extend campaigns from Facebook and Instagram across thousands of apps, according to Facebook for Business. The new update will ask users if they want to allow apps and app developers to track their behavior for the purpose of personalizing ads.
Facebook’s Chief Financial Officer Dave Wehner expressed concern regarding upcoming changes from Apple’s iOS 14 operating system. “We’re still trying to understand what these changes will look like and how they will impact us and the rest of the industry,” said Wehner. “But, at the very least, it’s going to make it harder for app developers and others to grow using ads on Facebook and elsewhere.”
Privacy topics regarding user data have been points of conversation among large tech companies. Apple has typically been in favor of individuals’ privacy while Facebook has been known to defend the free flow of data, according to Barrons. On August 26th, Facebook announced they would begin requiring apps to ask users for permission to collect and share data, something that was set to take place through iOS 14.
“While it’s difficult to quantify the impact to publishers and developers at this point with so many unknowns, in testing we’ve seen more than a 50% drop in Audience Network publisher revenue when personalization was removed from mobile app ad install campaigns,” according to a blog from Audience Network by Facebook.
New privacy changes will limit personal data that Facebook, and other firms, are able to collect through Apple. Currently, user data is tracked through individual IDFAs, “a 32-character string of letters and numbers,” according to Barrons. Advertisers and companies often use IDFA to compare data sets with customer activity, ranging from where they go, to the purchases they make and the apps they use to do so.
Additional updates that are expected to come with iOS 14 include changes to messages, the home screen, map features, Siri and the ability to start a car with an iPhone. Further privacy changes include users being able to share their approximate location, as opposed to their exact location. iOS 14 will likely offer more control over their data. The new Apple update is set to release this fall, according to the Wall Street Journal.
As privacy changes for iOS 14 evolve, Jubilant’s social team will continue to monitor how this might affect our clients and business owners. We value both individual privacy and being able to reach specific targeted audiences. Our intentions are to respect privacy and help individuals find our clients the best way we know-how. If you have questions on these new privacy changes, feel free to contact us at 913-428-9508. We’d be happy to chat with you and help you navigate all things digital. We’re staying on top of these changes for our clients and will update strategies and campaigns as needed.
