Apple's new privacy ad shows how iPhone users can control online tracking

Last year, Apple presented a white paper ' A day in the life of your data', a white paper that comprehensively covers how the users' private details are being collected for targeted ads.

Now, the Cupertino-based company has come up with a new infotainment ad showcasing what data is being tracked and collected by third-party apps and websites on a mobile phone.

The ad (below) shows the protagonist Ellie in a music record store and she sees a closed-door room to her shock, an auction is taking place for her user data.

There, a data broker is auctioning Ellie's location details, phone contacts' lists, browsing history, and more to the highest bidders; just when all the private details are about to get sold out, the protagonist turns on 'Ask Apps not to track', and everything goes puff. The ad ends with the 'Privacy, That's iPhone' title card, which has been the company's user privacy marketing moto for the last few years.

In the last two years, Apple has introduced stringent measures to control the apps from tracking user information. It started with the company making it mandatory for app developers to show a privacy nutrition chart on Apple App Store with details on what user data is being collected and why.

This created awareness among users and many were shocked to see that their messages, emails, and web searches are being tracked and collected. Even their favourite websites were tracking them to create an online profile of people to flood them with ads.

Later, it introduced the silver bullet to put an end to the user tracking on iPhones and iPad.

You can go to Settings >> Privacy >> Tracking >> disable Allow Apps to Request to Track'.

Apple offers a kill switch to turn off apps from tracking iPhone users. Credit: DH Photo/KVN Rohit

Also, users if they are interested to know what their favourite apps are tracking and where they are sending, they can activate the 'App Privacy Report'.

It will show details such as privacy-sensitive data or device sensors used by the apps in the last seven days. This also shows the app’s access to location, photos, camera, microphone, contacts, and more. Users can tap each app and also data type to learn more.

Go to Settings >> Privacy >> scroll down to find 'App Privacy Report' and turn it on. It is off by default and users can switch it on and after a few minutes, they can know the details (like the screenshot shown below).

App Privacy Report (screen-grab)

Apple devices also support Mail Privacy Protection. With this, users can block email senders from learning their information, such as when and how many times he/she view an email, whether they forward it, IP address, and other data.

On Mac, in the Mail app >> choose Mail > Preferences, then click Privacy. Select Protect Mail Activity.

On iPhone, go to Settings > Mail > Privacy Protection. Turn on Protect Mail Activity.

Apple's Safari app privacy features (screen-grab)

There is also a browser safety feature, wherein Safari can block user tracker bots on a website. It has come to light that there could be more than 100 trackers on a single website.

Apple device owners can block those websites and even them from recording the IP address of the device.

Go to Settings >> Privacy >> Safari > scroll down >> Prevent cross-site tracking. Also, enable >> Hide IP Address

New reports have indicated that Apple bring more privacy-centric features in the upcoming iOS 16, iPadOS 16, and macOS 13 later this year. Apple is expected to give a sneak peek at those features as early as next month at World Wide Developers Conference (WWDC) 2022.

Must read | Apple to host WWDC 2022 on this date

Watch the new Apple Privacy-centric video ad:

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