The Power of App Tracking Transparency: Controlling Your Digital Footprint

In today’s digital age, apps and websites frequently track our online activities to create personalised ads and gather data for analytics. While this can improve user experiences, it also raises serious privacy concerns. To give users more control over their personal data, Apple introduced App Tracking Transparency (ATT), a powerful feature that allows users to decide whether or not apps can track their activity. In this article, we’ll explore what ATT is, how it works, and how it empowers you to control your digital footprint.

Index

• What is App Tracking Transparency?
• How does App Tracking Transparency work?
• How to manage App Tracking Transparency on iPhone
• The impact of App Tracking Transparency on privacy
• Best practices for managing your digital footprint
• Conclusion

What is App Tracking Transparency?

App Tracking Transparency (ATT) is a privacy feature introduced by Apple in iOS 14.5. It requires apps to ask for your explicit permission before tracking your activity across other apps and websites. This feature gives users control over whether or not their personal data can be collected for advertising purposes or shared with third-party companies.

Before ATT, many apps would automatically track users’ behaviours to create detailed profiles, which were then used to serve targeted ads. With ATT, you can now decide if you want to allow this kind of tracking or keep your digital activities private.

How does App Tracking Transparency work?

When you install or update an app that wants to track your activity, ATT will prompt you with a pop-up asking if you want to allow tracking. You’ll see two options:

• “Allow”: This grants the app permission to track your activity across other apps and websites.
• “Ask App Not to Track”: This denies the app the ability to track you, preventing it from gathering data that could be used for advertising or shared with third parties.

If you choose to deny tracking, the app won’t be able to access your Identifier for Advertisers (IDFA), a unique code that allows advertisers to track your activities across multiple platforms. Without this identifier, apps will have a much harder time creating detailed profiles of your preferences and behaviours.

What happens when you block tracking?

When you select “Ask App Not to Track”, the app is legally required to respect your choice. This means:

• The app can no longer track you across websites or apps using your IDFA.
• Your personal data remains more private, and the app must use only data that you’ve provided directly or that is essential for its core functionality.

Apps that violate this requirement could face serious consequences from Apple, including removal from the App Store.

How to manage App Tracking Transparency on iPhone

Apple makes it easy to manage tracking permissions for all your apps, so you can review or change settings at any time. Here’s how to do it:

1. Open Settings: Tap the Settings app on your iPhone.
2. Go to Privacy: Scroll down and select Privacy & Security.
3. Select Tracking: Tap Tracking to see a list of apps that have requested permission to track your activity.
4. Manage app permissions: You can toggle tracking on or off for each individual app by flipping the switch next to the app’s name.

If you want to prevent apps from even asking to track you in the first place, you can toggle off the “Allow Apps to Request to Track” option. This setting stops apps from showing the tracking permission pop-up and automatically denies tracking for all apps.

The impact of App Tracking Transparency on privacy

The introduction of App Tracking Transparency is a major win for user privacy. By giving users control over which apps can track their activity, ATT helps reduce the amount of personal data that is collected without consent. Here are some key benefits of ATT:

1. More control over your data

ATT puts the power in your hands, allowing you to choose which apps can track your activity. This means that you can stop apps from collecting data on your online behaviour without your knowledge, giving you greater control over how your information is used.

2. Less personalised advertising

If you choose to deny tracking, you may still see ads, but they won’t be as personalised. Instead of seeing ads based on your specific browsing habits, you’ll see more general ads that aren’t tailored to your preferences. This can reduce the sense of being constantly surveilled by advertisers.

3. Transparency about data collection

Apps are now required to be transparent about their data collection practices. The ATT prompt gives you a clear view of when an app wants to track you, helping you make informed decisions about your privacy.

Best practices for managing your digital footprint

To make the most of App Tracking Transparency and protect your digital privacy, follow these best practices:

1. Review your tracking permissions regularly

Make it a habit to check your Tracking settings regularly in the Privacy & Security section of your iPhone. Apps that you’ve previously allowed to track you may no longer need that permission, so it’s good to periodically review and update your settings.

2. Be mindful of app permissions

When downloading new apps, pay close attention to the permissions they request. If an app is asking for unnecessary access to your personal data or tracking, you can deny those permissions to protect your privacy. To get you started, here’s an article on how to do this on Safari.

3. Use privacy-friendly apps

Consider using apps that prioritise privacy. Look for apps that collect minimal data, don’t track you across platforms, and have clear privacy policies. Apps like Signal and DuckDuckGo are known for their commitment to user privacy. We have highlighted some of our favourites in this article.

4. Stay informed about privacy updates

Keep your iPhone’s operating system up to date. Apple frequently releases security and privacy updates, including enhancements to features like ATT, to help protect your data from emerging threats.

Conclusion

App Tracking Transparency is a game-changer when it comes to protecting your privacy in the digital world. By giving you control over which apps can track your activity, ATT helps safeguard your personal data and minimise invasive tracking practices. With just a few simple settings on your iPhone, you can take charge of your digital footprint and make informed decisions about how your information is used.