Developers will be kicked off Apple’s App Store if they fail to “play by the rules” of the iPhone’s new anti-tracking policy, Apple’s head of software has said.
Craig Federighi, one of Apple boss Tim Cook’s top lieutenants, issued the warning as Apple prepares to introduce an anti-tracking function in its iOS 14 software that advertisers fear will lead to a sharp drop in mobile revenues.
Facebook has emerged as the most vocal critic of the new tool, which will force advertisers and apps to ask for extra permission for a unique digital identifier to track users across the web, claiming it will lead to a 50pc drop in revenue for some publishers.
Mr Federighi told The Telegraph all apps would be expected to abide by the new App Tracking Transparency rules.
He said: “There will be policy enforcement. Any form or mechanism of tracking a user for advertising or for providing information to data brokers will have to ask for permissions.
“Failure to do so is a violation of App Store policy… and is grounds for having an app removed.”
Apple’s new rules were announced over the summer, although have yet to come into force. They will effectively stop apps from hyper-accurately targeting adverts across the internet. Apps will have to ask users to opt-in for such tracking.
How Apple's anti-tracking notification will appear to users
Credit: Apple
Facebook warned that this would “severely impact” ad publishers. Its chief executive Mark Zuckerberg previously claimed Apple was acting as a “gatekeeper” for phones. In November, the tech giant added Apple was using its “dominant market position” to its own advantage.
However, privacy campaigners have supported Apple’s move, which will make it easier for people to opt-out of tracking that can see their personal information sold on to data brokers.
In a speech to the European Data Protection and Privacy Conference, Mr Federighi said: “We expect that the industry will adapt as it did before — providing effective advertising, but this time without invasive tracking.”
He added rivals were doing “everything they can” to stop the new feature in a “a brazen attempt to maintain the privacy-invasive status quo”.
Apple said it had already delayed the launch of its anti-tracking feature to give developers more time to adapt to it. The new feature is expected in the New Year.
It comes after the iPhone-maker unleashed a damning statement against the advertising sector last month, with Jane Horvath, Apple’s head of privacy, saying: “Facebook executives have made clear their intent is to collect as much data as possible.”
In his interview with The Telegraph, Mr Federighi said despite the protests he expected advertisers and social media firms would obey the rule change. He said: “The largest players understand they have to play by the rules here. I expect while there is spirited debate, they are going to work to find a solution.”
Speaking to privacy regulators on Tuesday, Mr Federighi added that he hoped Europe would “strengthen… support for end-to-end encryption”, although there are concerns that the growing trend for all messaging apps to feature advanced encryption could lead to abuses going undetected.
He told The Telegraph Apple had been “consistent for many years now that truly secure communications are ultimately in the interest of public safety”. He added Apple believed it was not possible to just provide privileged access under “just the right circumstances” that would not compromise other users.
The remarks come despite calls from global intelligence sharing partnership, the Five Eyes alliance, for greater access to tech’s encrypted messages.
And in a report published on Tuesday, Anne Longfield, the Children’s Commissioner, warned encrypted apps had left children more vulnerable to abuse.
The report found 90pc of 12 year olds were using messaging apps despite built-in age restrictions and that there were more than 1,200 confirmed child abuse offences using encrypted messaging apps in the first three months of lockdown.
The report warned that greater encryption could be a “cynical attempt” to bypass sanctions, such as those proposed in the Government’s Online Harms legislation.
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