[German]Apple has integrated the "App Tracking Transparency" (ATT) feature since iOS 14.5. This is supposed to give users the choice regarding the transparency of tracking by third-party apps. The whole thing sounds like an important step in protecting user privacy. The loaded question that arises: How effective is this ATT measure on the bottom line. Someone took a look after 5 months.
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After all, the App Tracking Transparency (ATT) feature was first released by Apple in April 2021 with iOS 14.5. ATT steps up to give users a choice regarding transparency in tracking by third-party apps. Users can choose whether tracking is allowed for each app. ATT has been praised by many as a step forward in protecting user privacy.
iOS asking for app tracking
But does ATT really work?
Five months after its release, ex-Apple developers Johnny Lin and Sean Halloran tested ten of the top apps in the App Store. They wanted to see if ATT successfully stopped tracking. To do this, they used the open-source app Lockdown Privacy.
he app promises to block trackers, ads and badware – in all apps on a device. If ATT works, this app shouldn't have to block anything.
However, the results of the tests were sobering. Using the Lockdown Privacy app and manual testing, the security researchers found that app tracking transparency had no effect on the total number of active third-party trackers and only a minimal effect on the total number of third-party tracking connection attempts.
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In addition, the two security researchers confirmed that detailed personal or device data was sent to trackers in almost all cases. ATT was functionally useless to stop third-party tracking, even when users explicitly choose "Ask App Not To Track." The details can be read in the blog post Study: Effectiveness of Apple's App Tracking Transparency, dated September 22, 2021.
