What is Happening?

In June 2020, Apple announced a new iOS 14 AppTrackingTransparency framework, requiring mobile apps to show a discouraging prompt.

Developers will need to ask iOS 14 users for permission to gather data across apps and websites. These changes will impact Facebook’s ad business as users will be more likely to opt out of tracking.

Facebook has claimed that the changes will be “devastating to small businesses” that rely on it to generate sales. Facebook also placed ads in the NYT, WSJ, and Financial Times writing "We’re standing up to Apple for small businesses everywhere.

What Does it Mean?

In early 2021, Facebook will begin to show Apple’s App Tracking Transparency (ATT) prompt. Once Facebook shows Apple’s ATT prompt, brands that optimise, target, and report on mobile web events from any Facebook tools will be affected.

While it may seem scary for businesses who rely on Facebook it is not the end of the world. The impact is still unknown until the rate of opt-out has been established.

What this means for advertisers:  

• Facebook will have less data. This means less information to work with to make decisions on how to help advertisers target their best customers.
• It will mean advertisers have fewer ways to measure the effectiveness of their spend.
• The changes will impact Facebook's event tracking. This will reduce the number of conversion events for brands to measure.
• Attribution will be changing. Facebook's platform reporting windows will be moving from 28 days to 7 days.

🤔 What should you be doing? Well as a first step, take a look at the official Facebook announcement and recommendations for advertisers. There are a few starting steps which begin with reviewing events, attribution and API documentation. If you get stuck, drop us a line. If you are interested in a deeper dive, take a look at Nick Shackelford’s update.