AppTrackingTransparency and IDFA

[Martin B.]

Hello,

Just for my understanding:

Soon iOS will only allow apps to access the IDFA if Apple's AppTrackingTransparency framework is used to ask the user for tracking permission? If the user does not allow tracking the app and Google AdMob won't be able to use the IDFA, right?

So if an iOS app does not use Apple's AppTrackingTransparency framework and is not asking for tracking permission it won't be able to use the IDFA and Google's ads may be less relevant, right?

So it is not mandatory to use Apple's AppTrackingTransparency when using AdMob ads in iOS apps - the ads may just be less relevant? Or is the AppTrackingTransparency framework still mandatory for ALL apps using AdMob?

Thank you so much!

Kind regards,
Martin

[Mobile Ads SDK Forum Advisor Prod]

Hi Martin,

Thank you for reaching out to us.

You are correct, in case the user does not allow tracking the app, the AdMob SDK won't be able to use the IDFA. However, the ad relevances should not be affected by the permission results being obtained from the user with regard to tracking and the use of the IDFA, since the SDK serves personalized ads by default.

As an aside. Please note that starting with iOS14, Apple requires that your app provides AppTrackingTransparency on the data that’s being used for tracking. That means, whether or not you are using Mobile Ads SDK it is required to use the AppTrackingTransparency framework to trigger IDFA.

Also, as stated in our documentation: Apple requires that developers publishing apps on the App Store disclose certain information regarding their apps' data use. Apple has announced that these disclosures will be required for new apps and app updates starting December 8, 2020.


Regards,

Sherwin Diesta Mobile Ads SDK Team

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[Martin B.]

Hi Sherwin,

Thank you so much for your reply.

If an app does not use Apple's AppTrackingTransparency framework and does not ask for tracking permission then the AdMob SDK won't and can't use the IDFA, right?

Kind regards,
Martin

[Mobile Ads SDK Forum Advisor Prod]

Hi Martin,

I work with Sherwin and will assist you. According to an update by Apple on September 3 2020 entitled Details for app privacy questions now available apps will be required to obtain permission to track users starting early next year. You may already start using the ATTrackingManager or our UMP SDK which provides an explainer message before the ATTracking system message to request permission if you prefer requesting permission before collecting the IDFA. 

According to our Prepare for Apple's App Store data disclosure requirements guide the SDK may collect other app-bounded device identifiers, which may be used for the purpose of third-party advertising and analytics. User-associated performance data such as app launch time, hang rate, or energy usage, which may be used to evaluate user behavior, understand the effectiveness of existing product features, and plan new features. Performance data may also be used for displaying ads, including sharing with other entities that display ads.

Our guides will get updated when requirements change.

Regards,

Aryeh Baker Mobile Ads SDK Team

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[Martin B.]

Hi Aryeh,

Thank you so much.

Does that mean that every app which includes the Google Mobile Ads SDK needs to display the App Tracking Transparency authorization request?

When I'm okay with the fact that the app and SDK can't access the IDFA does my app still need to ask for tracking permission?

Probably 95% of the users won't allow tracking anyway when they are asked. So it wouldn't harm if the app doesn't even ask for tracking permission if the vast majority won't allow tracking?

Thank you so much!

Kind regards,
Martin

[Mobile Ads SDK Forum Advisor Prod]

Hi Martin,

As of now, there's no requirement to add a request for authorization and we will update our documents if this will become a requirement or a recommendation. There may be other ways to send personalized ads to users besides relying on the IDFA which won't require that consent. 

This page about IDFA messages shows how to show your users an IDFA explainer message immediately before the iOS ATT alert, in order to give them more context and understand what their data might be used for. This may help change the statistics for users rejecting permission.

[JKaz]

>> When I'm okay with the fact that the app and SDK can't access the IDFA does my app still need to ask for tracking permission?

Can there be clarification of the answer on this, because some of what I've researched and read confuses me? If my goal is to show only non-personalized ads so that my app doesn't need to ask the user for tracking permission in California, Europe, or anywhere at all via iOS's ATT or anything similar – just to keep things as simple for the user as possible – what are all the things I need to do?

• I changed my AdMob settings to non-personalized ads for EEA and UK

• I changed my AdMob settings enable restricted data processing for CCPA

• I blocked "Additional ad technology vendors" in AdMob Blocking Controls

What else is required if my goal is to get through iOS App Store Review without having to declare IDFA use or include ATTrackingManager.requestTrackingAuthorization in code? If the user declines the tracking, the IDFA is all 0's, if I understand. Can I shortcut that process and just assign it to all 0's directly in the app?

My goal is just a clear list of the steps to take to avoid ATTrackingManager.requestTrackingAuthorization, and then I can decide which course to take.

Thank you!

[JKaz]

For a bit more detail, this is from the Google Ads & Commerce blog: "When Apple’s policy goes into effect, we will no longer use information (such as IDFA) that falls under ATT for the handful of our iOS apps that currently use it for advertising purposes. As such, we will not show the ATT prompt on those apps, in line with Apple’s guidance." https://www.blog.google/products/ads-commerce/preparing-developers-and-advertisers-for-policy-updates/

I'm really just asking what I think the original poster is asking, and what the blog seems to be suggesting, which is that there are discrete steps to take to not need the ATT prompt, but that I'm not certain of the complete set of those steps.

Hope that helps...thanks

[Mobile Ads SDK Forum Advisor Prod]

Hi there,

Let me do the best I can to assist you in this.

Thank you for reaching out to us. 

With regard to your concern. you may want to check the Consent policies: Personalized & Non-Personalized Ads part on this article. 

If the consent requirements for personalized ads are not met, Google will serve non-personalized ads when all of the following criteria are met:

• The end user grants Google consent to:
  • Store and/or access information on a device (Purpose 1)
• Legitimate interest (or consent, where a publisher configures their CMP to request it) is established for Google to:
  • Select basic ads (Purpose 2)
  • Measure ad performance (Purpose 7)
  • Apply market research to generate audience insights (Purpose 9)
  • Develop and improve products (Purpose 10)

For users declining the tracking, it is indeed that IDFA is 0. I'm afraid that there is no other way to shortcut/skip this process as the SDK. Also, please do note that the SDK handles this for you to avoid any policy violation of your app. 

Regards,

Teejay Wennie Pimentel Mobile Ads SDK Team

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[Jojo123]

Hi!

JKaz it seems to me that your app should not have a different behaviour regarding the AppTrackingTransparency policy :

- if the user says no to the ATT permission pop up

- if you don't show the permission pop-up at all

In both cases Apple forbid the "tracking" (= "act of linking user or device data collected from your app with user or device data collected from other companies’ apps, websites, or offline properties for targeted advertising or advertising measurement purposes" cf https://developer.apple.com/app-store/user-privacy-and-data-use/ )

My conclusion is that even if you show the permission pop-up, Apple ask you to make sure that there's no tracking done in case the user refuses the permission.

I don't understand how to manage that with the Admob sdk. Can someone help?

[Mobile Ads SDK Forum Advisor Prod]

Hi there,

Our current guidance is that including App Tracking Transparency is optional. This guidance may change before iOS 14.5 is officially released.

Regarding EU and requesting permission, my colleague Teejay has pointed out the consent necessary from users to serve non personalized ads taken from that article.  

Regards,

Aryeh Baker Mobile Ads SDK Team

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