Apple OS Update Lets People Choose, and They Choose Privacy

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.