After Apple made a few changes to its privacy regulations starting with iOS 13, Facebook is considering an antitrust lawsuit. According to the social network, the adjustments to the privacy regulations should make it more difficult to advertise.
Tracking only via opt-in
Already in the past, there were disputes between the two companies because of the privacy provisions. After now further adjustment with iOS 13 came Facebook considers a lawsuit. The social network accuses the iOS developer of abusing its own market power. The new data protection regulations also make it more difficult for other companies to advertise. At least that’s how Facebook sees it. The changes particularly affect the access of apps to the Identifier for Advertising (IDFA). The IDFA assigns an advertising ID to each mobile device, and this function can also be deactivated by the user. After the changes, however, it is now the other way around. With iOS 13, a protective function called “App Tracking Transparency” was introduced. This means that the user has to give consent himself, i.e. via an opt-in procedure. If the user does not explicitly give his consent for tracking, none is given. Facebook and the developers assume that the majority of users will not give this permission. Therefore, significant losses in advertising revenue are to be expected, the social network Facebook even assumes a halving of advertising revenue.
“Apple prefers its own services”
The iOS developer does not see any problems in the change, even emphasized in an interview that Facebook does not have to change anything in its existing advertising process with the changes. For Apple it is quite unproblematic, the user now has the choice in tracking. He can confirm or reject it. Facebook, however, sees the change as a preference for Apple’s services. Thus, the social network could no longer compete with the services of the iOS developer. On top of all that, Facebook is also bothered by Apple’s new regulations on in-app purchases. The fact that Facebook is now seeking legal action is not a spontaneous reaction to the change, but has been planned for several months. However, it remains to be seen whether the social network will now get serious. Since Facebook also has to deal with some scandals regarding data protection at the moment and in the past. Despite all this, Facebook continues to deal with Apple, as the social network sees one of the “biggest competitors” in the iOS developer according to Mark Zuckerberg, especially through the intervention “in the way our and other apps work” the social network feels attacked. It remains to be seen how it goes on between the two companies and whether, Facebook now files the intended antitrust suit. .
