Arab Press

بالشعب و للشعب
Saturday, May 31, 2025

Apple to allow users to block apps from tracking activity in move angering Facebook

Apple to allow users to block apps from tracking activity in move angering Facebook

Apple has announced that it will soon roll out a feature allowing users to block tech companies from tracking activity online and on other apps in a move that’s angered Facebook over its impact on data collection.

When the new privacy measure kicks into action in the next few weeks, users will receive a notification informing them that a tech company would like to track their activity on other apps and websites that they visit, as well as giving companies a chance to justify why users should allow monitoring. Users will then get to choose to allow tracking or block further data collection.

The feature, dubbed App Tracking Transparency, will be included in the company’s iOS 14.5 update, expected to be released in April, although Apple won’t begin prompting users until later in the spring.

Facebook has complained to Apple about the new measure, calling it a “discouraging prompt,” arguing that it will hurt app developers and claiming Apple is engaging in anti-competitive action to boost its own advertising features.

Apple has robustly defended the feature by stating that tracking will not be prohibited, it will simply require companies “to obtain explicit user consent” and make the whole process “more transparent and under user control.”

It comes after Apple CEO Tim Cook declared that tech companies can “no longer turn a blind eye to a theory of technology that says all engagement is good engagement,” seen as a shot at Facebook’s data collection methods.

"If a business is built on misleading users, on data exploitation, on choices that are no choices at all, then it does not deserve our praise."


The rollout of the feature and the spat with Facebook come as Apple fights off legal action by Epic Games, the maker of Fortnite, over claims that Apple suppresses competition by forcing developers to use its own payment system, rather than directly through the app.

Facebook has announced that it will support Epic Games in its legal challenge, offering to provide information showing how the company believes Apple’s actions have hurt its business in pursuit of “control of the entire internet.”

Newsletter

Related Articles

Arab Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
EU Central Bank Pushes to Replace US Dollar with Euro as World’s Main Currency
European and Arab Ministers Convene in Madrid to Address Gaza Conflict
Head of Gaza Aid Group Resigns Amid Humanitarian Concerns
U.S. Health Secretary Ends Select COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations
Trump Warns Putin Is 'Playing with Fire' Amid Escalating Ukraine Conflict
India and Pakistan Engage Trump-Linked Lobbyists to Influence U.S. Policy
U.S. Halts New Student Visa Interviews Amid Enhanced Security Measures
Trump Administration Cancels $100 Million in Federal Contracts with Harvard
SpaceX Starship Test Flight Ends in Failure, Mars Mission Timeline Uncertain
King Charles Affirms Canadian Sovereignty Amid U.S. Statehood Pressure
Iranian Revolutionary Guard Founder Warns Against Trusting Regime in Nuclear Talks
Netanyahu Accuses Starmer of Siding with Hamas
Calls Grow to Resume Syrian Asylum Claims in UK
UAE Offers Free ChatGPT Plus Subscriptions to Citizens
Denmark Increases Retirement Age to 70, Setting a European Precedent
Iranian Director Jafar Panahi Wins Palme d'Or at Cannes
Israeli Airstrike Kills Nine Children of Gaza Doctor
Lebanon Initiates Plan to Disarm Palestinian Factions
Iran and U.S. Make Limited Progress in Nuclear Talks
Trump Administration's Tariff Policies and Dollar Strategy Spark Global Economic Debate
OpenAI Acquires Jony Ive’s Startup for $6.5 Billion to Build a Revolutionary “Third Core Device”
Turkey Weighs Citizens in Public as Erdoğan Launches National Slimming Campaign
UK Suspends Trade Talks with Israel Amid Gaza Offensive
Iran and U.S. Set for Fifth Round of Nuclear Talks Amid Rising Tensions
Russia Expands Military Presence Near Finland Amid Rising Tensions
Indian Scholar Arrested in Crackdown Over Pakistan Conflict Commentary
Israel Eases Gaza Blockade Amid Internal Dispute Over Military Strategy
President Biden’s announcement of advanced prostate cancer sparked public sympathy—but behind closed doors, Democrats are in panic
Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki Erupts Again, Spewing Ash Cloud over Flores Island
Indian jet shootdown: the all-robot legion behind China’s PL-15E missiles
The Chinese Dragon: The True Winner in the India-Pakistan Clash
Australia's Venomous Creatures Contribute to Life-Saving Antivenom Programme
The Spanish Were Right: Long Working Hours Harm Brain Function
Did Former FBI Director Call for Violence Against Trump? Instagram Post Sparks Uproar
US and UAE Partner to Develop Massive AI Data Center Complex
Apple's $95 Million Siri Settlement: Eligible Users Have Until July 2 to File Claims
US and UAE Reach Preliminary Agreement on Nvidia AI Chip Imports
President Trump and Elon Musk Welcomed by Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim with Cybertruck Convoy
Strong Warning Issued: Do Not Use General Chatbots for Medical, Legal, or Educational Guidance
NVIDIA and Saudi Arabia Launch Strategic Partnership to Establish AI Centers
Trump Meets Syrian President Ahmad al-Shara in Historic Encounter
US and Saudi Arabia Sign Landmark Agreements Across Multiple Sectors
Why Saudi Arabia Rolled Out a Purple Carpet for Donald Trump Instead of Red
Elon Musk Joins Trump Meeting in Saudi Arabia
Trump says it would be 'stupid' not to accept gift of Qatari plane
Quantum Computing Threatens Bitcoin Security
Michael Jordan to Serve as Analyst for NBA Games
Senate Democrats Move to Censure Trump Over Qatar Jet Gift
Hamas Releases Last Living US Hostage from Gaza Amid Ongoing Conflict
×