Facebook to prompt users about ads ahead of Apple privacy changes

Facebook said in a blog post Monday it will begin rolling out a notification for iPhone users globally about how data is used for personalised ads, in an attempt to get ahead of upcoming Apple privacy changes that Facebook says will hurt its advertising business.

The full-screen prompt will ask Facebook and Instagram users to allow their app and website activity to be used for personalised ads and to “support businesses that rely on ads to reach customers”.

The social media giant has been waging a public fight against Apple’s plan to ask iPhone users whether to allow apps to track them across other websites and apps, warning that Apple’s notification “suggests there is a tradeoff between personalised advertising and privacy”, and will harm small businesses that rely on Facebook ads.

Apple said its pop-up privacy notifications will start appearing on most iPhones in the next few months.  — Reported by Sheila Dang, (c) 2021 Reuters