Privacy Group Files Legal Complaints in Europe Targeting Apple's Device Identifier Service for Advertisers

noyb logoApple's device identifier service for advertisers is being targeted by privacy advocates in two complaints to Spanish and German authorities, reports Bloomberg.

A Vienna-based group called NOYB ("None Of Your Business") has filed complaints with data protection authorities in the two countries, calling for them to outlaw Apple's "Identifier for Advertisers" (IDFA) service.

Each ‌iPhone‌ that Apple sells comes with the unique identifier, which lets advertisers track the actions users take when they use apps. The group argues that the service allows Apple and various apps to track users and collect data on their web use without their consent.

"With our complaints we want to enforce a simple principle: trackers are illegal, unless a user freely consents," NOYB lawyer Stefano Rossetti said in a statement. "Smartphones are the most intimate device for most people and they must be tracker-free by default."

App developers have historically used IDFA to help target users with ads and track the performance of ads across different devices. Next year, however, Apple will require apps to seek customer consent before the IDFA can be used in iOS 14 to track user behavior and preference across apps and websites for ad targeting purposes.

The requirement was announced in June alongside iOS 14 and was originally expected to go into force with the release of Apple's latest mobile operating system, but Apple chose to delay the anti-tracking feature until 2021 to "give developers time to make the necessary changes."

The delay was announced only after major app developers and ad networks like Facebook spoke out against the feature, with Facebook warning advertisers on its platform that it could cause a more than 50 percent drop in Audience Network publisher revenue due to the loss of personalization from ads within apps. Apple is also facing an antitrust complaint from French advertisers who say it could force their revenue to plummet.

Last year, Mozilla launched a petition urging Apple to implement an automatic monthly reset on identifiers to make it harder for companies to build a profile about users over time. "It's like a salesperson following you from store to store while you shop and recording each thing you look at," argued the petition. "Not very private at all."

Tag: Europe
Related Forum: iOS 14

Popular Stories

AirPods Pro 3 Mock Feature

AirPods Pro 3 Just Months Away – Here's What We Know

Friday April 18, 2025 5:16 am PDT by
Despite being more than two years old, Apple's AirPods Pro 2 still dominate the premium wireless‑earbud space, thanks to a potent mix of top‑tier audio, class‑leading noise cancellation, and Apple's habit of delivering major new features through software updates. With AirPods Pro 3 widely expected to arrive in 2025, prospective buyers now face a familiar dilemma: snap up the proven...
iphone 16 pro models 1

17 Reasons to Wait for the iPhone 17

Thursday April 17, 2025 4:12 am PDT by
Apple's iPhone development roadmap runs several years into the future and the company is continually working with suppliers on several successive iPhone models simultaneously, which is why we often get rumored features months ahead of launch. The iPhone 17 series is no different, and we already have a good idea of what to expect from Apple's 2025 smartphone lineup. If you skipped the iPhone...
Beyond iPhone 13 Better Triad

Apple's 20th Anniversary iPhone May Finally Go All Screen

Tuesday April 15, 2025 6:31 am PDT by
Apple is preparing a "bold" new iPhone Pro model for the iPhone's 20th anniversary in 2027, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. As part of what's being described as a "major shake-up," Apple is said to be developing a design that makes more extensive use of glass – and this could point directly to the display itself. Here's the case for Apple releasing a truly all-screen iPhone with no...
maxresdefault

iPhone 17 Pro Launching Later This Year With These 12 New Features

Sunday April 13, 2025 7:52 am PDT by
While the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models as of April 2025: Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and ...
CarPlay Hero

Apple Releases Wireless CarPlay Fix

Wednesday April 16, 2025 11:28 am PDT by
If you have been experiencing issues with wireless CarPlay in your vehicle lately, it was likely due to a software bug that has now been fixed. Apple released iOS 18.4.1 today, and the update's release notes say it "addresses a rare issue that prevents wireless CarPlay connection in certain vehicles." If wireless CarPlay was acting up for you, updating your iPhone to iOS 18.4.1 should...
top stories 2025 04 19

Top Stories: iPhone 17 Pro Rumors, CarPlay Bug Fix, and More

Saturday April 19, 2025 6:00 am PDT by
This week saw rumor updates on the iPhone 17 Pro and next-generation Vision Pro, while a minor iOS 18.4.1 update delivered not just security fixes but also a fix for some CarPlay issues. We also looked ahead at what else is in Apple's pipeline for the rest of 2025 and even the 20th-anniversary iPhone coming in 2027, so read on below for all the details on these stories and more! iPhone 17 ...
iOS 19 Roundup Feature

iOS 19 Will Add These New Features to Your iPhone

Tuesday April 15, 2025 7:37 am PDT by
The first iOS 19 beta is less than two months away, and there are already a handful of new features that are expected with the update. Apple should release the first iOS 19 beta to developers immediately following the WWDC 2025 keynote, which is scheduled for Monday, June 9. Following beta testing, the update should be released to the general public in September. Below, we recap the key...

Top Rated Comments

ruka.snow Avatar
58 months ago
I wish NOYB all the success they need to get these companies out of phones. Mozilla also has a good suggestion there but I worry these 'people' would find a way using other data to link to ID's together. It could be as little as knowing that user has seven of their apps installed and then they've narrowed down when the identifier changes for that user.
Score: 18 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Yammabot Avatar
58 months ago
The entire process has to stop. No more tracking under any circumstance. Advertisers should learn how to advertise not track and surveillance. Most ads today are so poor you wouldn’t buy the products just because of the inferior advertising.
Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Reason077 Avatar
58 months ago
Apple's anonymised ID should be the least of their worries. If you don't want it, you can just turn it off in Settings -> Privacy -> Advertising. It needs to be opt in, rather than on by default - but it sounds like this is what Apple already plans to do.

Google and Facebook are an order of magnitude more problematic than anything Apple does. These guys have enough data to build a profile on you without the need for any cross-site advertising IDs. By banning them elsewhere we are just concentrating more and more power (and more advertising dollars) in hands of the largest players.
Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)
contacos Avatar
58 months ago
We use this A LOT at work (online marketing and app development) and it always makes me roll my eyes when Apple talks about caring about its user privacy while letting devs install and use all those Spyware tools in their apps (ours included).

personalized ads aren’t just annoying, they are also dangerous and shaping individuals personality. For instance, I had to do some research for my mother and now all I am receiving is ads or articles about those topics and I am like I AM NOT INTERESTED. What if I like Spain? That doesn’t mean I am not interested in Norway but those ads will keep showing me Spain so eventually your brain will go like Spain Spain Spain. Also a nice „Tool“ to shape opinions
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
yurc Avatar
58 months ago
I am okay with advertising business, but snooping and tracking someone else device isn't.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Abazigal Avatar
58 months ago
isn’t what the group wants in line with what Apple is trying to implement? Just that Apple has chosen to extend the grace period, but it seems like it will eventually be here? Long before the lawsuit takes effect anyways.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)