Apple to reportedly bolster iAd user targeting with phone numbers and emails
According to a report on Thursday, Apple's iAd division is looking to reinvigorate sales, and will soon allow third-party agencies to provide demographic targeting information to advertisers, including matching of phone numbers, emails and other data.

Although Apple did not officially take part in this year's Mobile World Congress conference, the company's iAd division threw a partner party at the W hotel in Barcelona, Spain, reports The Information.
Apple executives outlined a new initiative that will enable third-party ad providers to help advertisers target specific consumers "by matching phone number, emails and other data," the publication reports. The system is similar to Facebook's ad targeting practices, which matches data from ad providers with anonymized user information and other helpful metrics.
By providing data matching capabilities, Apple would address a major complaint from ad agencies clamoring for more open targeting policies. Currently, iAd serves up user data relating to geography, purchase history, and media interests, but stops short of providing deeper analytics.
The publication noted some advertisers pay up to $10 for app install ads on iAd, double the price of Facebook's most expensive tier. With Apple's reach and consumer base, however, the price may be worth the investment.
The reported shift in policy comes as Apple makes moves to stimulate iAd sales. In November, for example, Apple flipped the switch on "programmatic" mobile advertising purchases, an automated process for buying and selling ads. The company also rolled iAd advertisements into the iTunes Radio streaming music service last year.

Although Apple did not officially take part in this year's Mobile World Congress conference, the company's iAd division threw a partner party at the W hotel in Barcelona, Spain, reports The Information.
Apple executives outlined a new initiative that will enable third-party ad providers to help advertisers target specific consumers "by matching phone number, emails and other data," the publication reports. The system is similar to Facebook's ad targeting practices, which matches data from ad providers with anonymized user information and other helpful metrics.
By providing data matching capabilities, Apple would address a major complaint from ad agencies clamoring for more open targeting policies. Currently, iAd serves up user data relating to geography, purchase history, and media interests, but stops short of providing deeper analytics.
The publication noted some advertisers pay up to $10 for app install ads on iAd, double the price of Facebook's most expensive tier. With Apple's reach and consumer base, however, the price may be worth the investment.
The reported shift in policy comes as Apple makes moves to stimulate iAd sales. In November, for example, Apple flipped the switch on "programmatic" mobile advertising purchases, an automated process for buying and selling ads. The company also rolled iAd advertisements into the iTunes Radio streaming music service last year.
Comments
Disturbing if true.
It does? How does this let Tim say his customers are not his product? Confused....
Screw this!
This had better not be true!
There's a reason that I'm not on Facebook and there's a reason that I don't use any Google OS (Android).
I can't imagine that Apple would be this foolish, especially given all of the comments recently made by Apple and Tim Cook about privacy and security.
Okay, I'm not sure this is in keeping with the "You are our customer not our product" ethos that Apple touts. Somebody please explain why this is no different from Facebook and Google's practices.
Disturbing if true.
It does? How does this let Tim say his customers are not his product? Confused....
Screw this!
This had better not be true!
There's a reason that I'm not on Facebook and there's a reason that I don't use any Google OS (Android).
I can't imagine that Apple would be this foolish, especially given all of the comments recently made by Apple and Tim Cook about privacy and security.
Settings > Privacy > Advertising > Limit Ad Tracking.
Screw this!
This had better not be true!
There's a reason that I'm not on Facebook and there's a reason that I don't use any Google OS (Android).
I can't imagine that Apple would be this foolish, especially given all of the comments recently made by Apple and Tim Cook about privacy and security.
Agreed.
Surely there must be some mistake. If Cook has really done this, then Apple have jumped the shark.
Settings > Privacy > Advertising > Limit Ad Tracking.
My iPad is right next to me, so I just did a double check, and yep, I already have it activated.
You won't see Apple mentioning this if it happens, tho if you carefully read their privacy policy it allows just about the same data collection and use-cases as Google does. You've given them permission.
My iPad is right next to me, so I just did a double check, and yep, I already have it activated.
I think it's on by default.
Apple doesn't publicly discuss it but was already using a fair amount of "your" information to market "you" to advertisers. Taking the next step of logging email keywords and other common data harvesting efforts should not be a huge surprise if/when it happens. Mr Cook's last PR campaign in December, proclaiming Apple wasn't like Google or Facebook, preceded the very quiet roll-out of a new iAd program where advertisers could bid for access to you, similar to programs offered by both Google and Facebook. .
You won't see Apple mentioning this if it happens, tho if you carefully read their privacy policy it allows just about the same data collection and use-cases as Google does. You've given them permission.
This would be Apple using the data they know about you to match against data given to them by third parties for targeted ad campaigns. The third parties already have your data and are asking Apple to target you with the ads. Apple isn't giving anyone the data, but they effectively get to pay Apple to use it to target you if they already have your data. As bad was this is, it is better them using these high-level identifiers rather than all of your content. Either way, I wish Apple would abandon iAd. The only reason I half support it is because Apple is providing a less creepy service for developers to use. There are others that have worse policies I'm sure.
FWIW you can completely turn off ad tracking at Google too, but the data collection still takes place unless you totally opt out of Google services.
You won't see Apple mentioning this if it happens, tho if you carefully read their privacy policy it allows just about the same data collection and use-cases as Google does. You've given them permission.
Fortunately I don't use any software that has iAd, but I wonder, if they are going to sell your data, what is stopping them from selling your AppleID data? According to your remark about their privacy policy, they could if they wanted to, even without iAd.
I have absolutely NOOOOOOOOOOO problem with that!
... IF that's what it takes to destroy google!
Settings > Privacy > Advertising > Limit Ad Tracking.
This simply allows you to get targeted ads for items you may have searched for.
So if you search for cars, you will get a lot more ads for car stuff.
It limits the types of ads you get.
Settings > Privacy > Advertising > Limit Ad Tracking.
OMG finally a AI user who actually took the time to add something relevant and true, what a rarity