There is good news and bad news when it comes to iPhone privacy. The good news is that Apple is no longer allowing app developers access to the unique device identifier (UDID) that can tie your activity to a specific device. The bad news is that Apple is allowing advertisers to track your app use and web activity and has made opting out challenging for the uninitiated. Apple refers to Ad Tracking as “a non-permanent, non-personal device identifier that adverting networks will use to give you more control over advertiser’s ability to use tracking methods.” If you opt to “limit ad tracking,” advertisers who use the network will no longer be able to serve you targeted ads.
It’s not under “privacy”
For a company that prides itself on great user interface, the U.I. for turning off tracking is pretty hard to decipher.
If you go to your iPhone’s settings area you’ll find a privacy section which is where you would expect to find the place to turn off tracking but you’d be sorely wrong.
Instead you have to go through the following steps.
1. Click on the settings icon
2. Click on General
3. Click on About (on top)
4. Scroll down to near the bottom and click on Advertising
5. Click on Off to turn ON Limit Ad Tracking
- Click Limit Ad Tracking ON