Apple is a big advocate of users’ online privacy. Even as a leading OEM, the company has introduced several privacy features across its OS to prevent apps or websites from collecting users’ data, especially without their permission like the App Tracking Transparency (ATT) on iOS.
A new study by StockApps reveals that Apple itself collects very little user data in comparison to the other four tech companies: Google, Amazon, Facebook, and Twitter.
By collecting only 12 data points for each user, Apple becomes the “most privacy-conscious firm”
The study identified 45 different categories of data that the tech companies collect to show targeted ads to users. And out of 45 data points for each user, Apple only collects 12. While other tech companies collect a lot more data points for each user:
- Google – 39 points
- Twitter- 24 points
- Amazon – 23 points
- Facebook – 14 points
With the least amount of points, Apple has become the “most privacy-conscious” company.
Apple is in a league above Amazon in protecting user privacy. It is the most privacy-conscious firm out there. Apple only stores the information that is necessary to maintain users’ accounts. This is because their website is not as reliant on advertising revenue as are Google, Twitter, and Facebook.
Discussing the company’s privacy policy and features at the 15th annual Computer, Privacy, and Data Protection 2022 conference in Brussels, Apple Director of User Privacy Erik Neuenschwander insisted that Apple’s designs provide “great privacy” to all users including on-device processing, session processing, and keeping users’ data private. And it appears that the company is true to its word.
Surprisingly, Facebook collects just two more data points than the Cupertino tech giant but it has been the strongest critic of the iOS ATT privacy feature. On the other hand, Google which collects the most data has benefited from the ATT update.
Google’s search ad algorithm relies on customer intent, unlike Facebook and Snapchat which rely on data collected via app and web tracking to show targeted ads.
