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t8y | 4 years ago

The difference is that Big Tobacco was regulated by the government. Apple is a competitor to Facebook. Apples ads are not effected by this[0].

[0]https://mobiledevmemo.com/apple-privileges-its-own-ad-networ...

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isodev|4 years ago

"regulate" doesn't sound like the correct word in this instance. It's making the process more transparent - all Apple did was ensure users could choose what Facebook does with their data.

Apple's ad system is subject to the same rules. The link you are posting is outdated - since last year's iOS 14.5 the SKAdNetwork has been extended to provide the full API.

disgruntledphd2|4 years ago

> Apple's ad system is subject to the same rules.

This does not appear to be true, given that they were asked this question by the FT and refused to answer.

See: https://www.ft.com/content/074b881f-a931-4986-888e-2ac53e286...

Money quote (which to be fair, was not too an FT journalist):

“Apple was unable to validate for us that Apple’s solutions are compliant with Apple’s policy,” he said. “Despite multiple requests and trying to get them to confirm that their products are compliant with their own solutions, we were unable to get there.”

trasz|4 years ago

The problem is with tracking, not ads.

onlyrealcuzzo|4 years ago

Actually - I would argue the other way around.

Selling user data (for ads) IS the problem.

No one would collect and store massive amounts of data if not to make a profit selling it.

They would only collect things that are useful in improving the product.

That kind of tracking IS valuable.

swagatkonchada|4 years ago

ads don't work without tracking. that's the whole point

Tagbert|4 years ago

Those Apple ads are just search placement ads inside their App Store. A much smaller scale and limited scope than Facebook or Google ads.

SergeAx|4 years ago

Oh, you just wait! I am sure that Apple will eventually build its own ad empire. It is too sweet peece of pie to be left on the table. Also, Apple badly needs to justify it's market cap with some revenue.

echelon|4 years ago

I'm no fan of Facebook, but Apple is literally showing the world that their platform can sink trillion dollar businesses with simple policy changes.

When you're "America's Computer" with a 51+% entrenchment, you shouldn't be able to govern commerce. You're a common carrier at that point.

The DOJ better be watching. This behavior makes 90's Microsoft look absolutely tame by comparison. Apple is the new Standard Oil.

zepto|4 years ago

You seem to think that it’s ethical for people to be tracked by Facebook against their will and without their consent.

It’s hard to take arguments against Apple on this issue seriously.

All we are talking about is giving the users an option to disable tracking.

The fact they have lost money over this, simply proves that Facebook is a business that can’t survive without deceiving its users.

This isn’t about Apple at all.

lotsofpulp|4 years ago

I would not characterize Apple giving people the choice to not be tracked by Facebook as governing commerce.

nojito|4 years ago

Apple doesn’t even have a monopoly in any market they participate in.

Additionally you’ll be hard pressed to find someone who will say opt in tracking is a bad idea.

The larger argument is that the vast majority of high value companies probably should not exist today.

soundnote|4 years ago

Hell, Microsoft is pulling stuff with Edge now that pales in comparison to just shipping IE by default. Google, Android, same thing.

9935c101ab17a66|4 years ago

> I'm no fan of Facebook, but Apple is literally showing the world that their platform can sink trillion dollar businesses with simple policy changes.

Sink? I think that's a bit of an exaggeration. Furthermore, if Facebook's business model is predicated on actively harming Apple's customers (and Facebook is harming them in a multitude of ways, including this tracking), this isn't Apple's fault at all, it's Facebooks.

> When you're "America's Computer" with a 51+% entrenchment, you shouldn't be able to govern commerce. You're a common carrier at that point.

Yah, no. Apple's marketshare, even in the US, as of January is estimated to be ~33% (iOS and macOS) combined.

CaptainZapp|4 years ago

So?

Facebook is free to pull its app from the App Store if they don't like Apple's policies.

scarface74|4 years ago

Apple is giving the user the choice to be tracked. How will the argument work in court for FB to say that users shouldn’t be given the choice?

benreesman|4 years ago

In fairness all the FAANGs are crazy big and powerful by historical anti-trust standards.

scarface74|4 years ago

So exactly what is the complaint? That Apple have users the choice whether or not to be tracked?

mrweasel|4 years ago

Apple might actually be helping Facebook. It the industry doesn't regulate itself then the governments will at some point and that's going to be much worse.

The GDPR is governments (the EU) regulating an industry that has failed to regulate itself the last 20 years and most would argue that the GDPR is much stricter than it needs to be.

ARandomerDude|4 years ago

I was very confused until I realized you meant "affected."