Case Study
AOL Embarrassed by Release of Re-Identifiable Data
In 2006, AOL and its Chief Technical Officer learned the hard way that “anonymizing” data...+ Read more
An April 2021 software update for iOS, which runs on Apple mobile phones and tablets, requires apps to get explicit consent before tracking user activity and sharing that personal information with third parties. The update, in iOS 14.5, gives users more control over their personal information by asking whether they will allow the app to “track your activity across other companies’ apps and websites.” Allowing users control over whether they are tracked is a simple, common-sense privacy protection. But it also poses a serious threat for companies that make money monetizing people’s personal information. Apple often says privacy is “a fundamental human right,” and with the recent iOS update, they are treating it like one.