Twitter expects iOS 14 privacy controls

Apple is all set to roll out its highly anticipated privacy transparency controls in the coming months, and has begun setting the groundwork for same with iOS 14. 5 - the company said that developers will be required to ask users for their permission to track them across apps. Companies like Facebook have already fiercely opposed the move, stating that the changes would cause an adverse impact on revenues and even considering an antitrust lawsuit.

Twitter, another company which serves users targeted ads on their microblogging platform, did not sound so alarmed with the changes. On Tuesday, Twitter announced its earnings for Q4 of 2020 - $1.29 in revenue and stated that it expected a "modest impact" on revenues this year due to Apple's new privacy diktat, according to a report by CNBC. 

Keeping in mind the COVID-19 situation continues to improve, the social networking and microblogging site expects that its revenue will grow faster than its expenses this year - the company is expecting to make up to $1.04 billion, the report states.

It is interesting to note that Twitter, like Facebook, Google, and several other online platforms, allows users to opt-out of their data being used for ad personalisation. While Twitter's revenues are no match for Facebook's multi-billion-dollar figures, the statements from the company that it expects a “modest impact” is certainly noteworthy.

While Apple's requirement of asking users for permission before tracking them across apps sounds reasonable to most users, many would likely ask a company not to track them - which could negatively impact the revenue of a company like Facebook or Twitter, which rely on serving ads based on users personal data and their usage on and off the platform.  

While companies like Facebook have gone to the extent of taking out full-page newspaper ads in the United States decrying the new requirements, Apple has dug in their heels and stayed the course. The new privacy controls, that require all apps to ask users for permission before they track them across apps was announced as a part of iOS 14. It will be enabled globally as part of iOS 14.5, which is in beta testing and will probably be released in the coming weeks.