The EU has a plan to fix internet privacy: more like Apple

like millions Among other internet users in Europe, when Alexandra Geese, a German MP for the European Parliament (MEP), wants to read something on the internet, she first has to open and scroll through multiple options to refuse to share her information with third-party advertisers Data. Europe’s landmark privacy law, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), means that websites must ask users’ consent for online tracking. But refusing consent is much harder for many companies than agreeing, meaning Geese’s search for an opt-out may take more time than she spends on the site. “The problem with the current GDPR is that it’s not being enforced properly, so people don’t really have a choice,” she said.

Geese is one of the European lawmakers currently drafting some of the world’s toughest rules for tech companies in an attempt to fix the internet’s opt-out features.

When MEPs pondered in January how to give European internet users a real choice, the existing system developed by Apple was raised as a possible template for reshaping the internet. In 2021, the tech giant is launching a new privacy popup that it says will give users a real choice if they want to be tracked. The feature provides iPhone users with two very simple options when downloading new apps – “require apps not to track” or “allow.”Statistics show 98% of iPhone users taking the opportunity to opt out is seen by some MEPs as evidence that people choose to protect their privacy when given the opportunity. “I really believe that privacy shouldn’t just be an option for those who can afford premium devices or premium Apple products,” said German MEP Tiemo Wölken from the Socialist and Democratic Progressive Alliance.

European lawmakers now want to apply Apple’s ideas across all major online platforms, including online marketplaces, app stores and social media platforms, and force them to display simple options when people visit a website for the first time. On January 20, a majority of MEPs voted in favour of an amendment to the Digital Services Act (DSA) that states that refusing to consent to ad tracking should not be more difficult or time-consuming than providing consent. Another amendment proposes banning dark mode — a design choice that attempts to influence user consent to tracking. The proposal for it to be included in the final version of the DSA must be approved by the European Council, which represents the heads of government of the 27 member states. If the proposals make it through those negotiations, they could become law by the end of the year.

But recent revelations about Apple’s once-lauded system suggest it’s not the clear-cut option EU lawmakers may have hoped. It’s vulnerable to workarounds, and the “Do Not Track” option doesn’t block all tracking by advertisers. The likes of Snapchat parent Snap and Facebook have been sharing user signals from iPhones since the track changes rolled out in July, as long as that data is anonymous and aggregated. Apple said that developers must not use the signals emitted by the device to try to identify users, but that did not prevent advertisers from collecting anonymous data to target users. An Apple spokesman said the rules “apply equally to all developers.”

A Snap spokesperson said the company designed privacy-preserving solutions that measure “aggregated conversion data without associating off-platform activity, such as app installs or website visits, to specific Snapchatters.” Facebook declined to comment.

It’s unclear whether Apple endorses these technologies, but that means users are wrong if they think Apple’s new rules mean all tracking has now stopped. Regulators have taken note of this fact. In December 2021, Poland’s competition watchdog addressed some misunderstandings about Apple’s app tracking transparency feature. “This does not mean that users’ information will no longer be collected, nor will they receive personalised advertisements,” the regulator, UOKIK, said. said at the time. Apple also faces Drill down Determine whether privacy changes will harm advertisers in France.