iOS Version: iOS 18.1.1
The Common Sense Reason Why:
Disabling "Allow App Tracking" enhances user privacy by preventing apps from tracking your activity across different services for advertising purposes, thus giving you control over your data.
Step 1: Open Settings
On your iPhone, locate and tap the Settings app.
Step 2: Access Privacy Settings
Tap "Privacy & Security" to access tracking controls.
Step 3: Disable App Tracking
Toggle off "Allow Apps to Request to Track" to prevent all apps from tracking your activity across other companies' apps and websites.
Why This Matters
When disabled, apps cannot track your activity across other apps and websites for advertising purposes. This significantly improves your privacy by limiting data collection.
What Apps Can See If Given Tracking Permission:
- IDFA: Apps can access the Identifier for Advertisers (IDFA), which is unique to each user's device and used for tracking user behavior across apps and websites for advertising purposes.
- Activity Data: This includes data about which apps you use, how you interact with them, and your activity across websites owned by other companies. This data can be combined with other data sets for targeted advertising or ad measurement.
- Other Identifiers: Although ATT primarily focuses on IDFA, apps might still use other methods like hashed email addresses for tracking, though they are supposed to respect the user's choice not to be tracked through these means as well.
- Behavioral Data: This involves how you use the app, your preferences, and sometimes your location if the app has additional permissions. However, direct access to personal information like email addresses requires separate permissions.