Apple works to strengthen app privacy

Appleissteppingupprivacy LONDON— for app users, forcing developerstobemoretransparentabout data collection andwarning they could be removed if they don’t comply with a new anti-tracking measure, a company executive and regulators said Tuesday.

The U.S. tech giant said it’s set to roll out the anti-tracking feature next year andwarned it could kick apps off its widely usedApp Store if theydon’tobeyits requirements.

Called App Tracking Transparency, it will require apps to clearly ask for users’ permission before tracking them. It was due to be launchedthisyear butwas delayed to allowdevelopers more time to make changes.

“Itsaimis toempowerour users to decidewhen or if theywant to allow an app to track them in a way that could be shared across other companies’ apps or websites,” Senior Vice President of Software Engineering Craig Federighi said.

“Developers who fail to meet the standard can have their apps taken down fromthe app store,” Federighi said inanonlinekeynote speech to the EuropeanData Protection and Privacy Conference.

Privacy campaigners say the move is a vital step that could strengthen respect for privacy, but tech rivals like Facebook that makemoneyfromdigital advertising that tracks users have pushed back against the measure.

Federighi said tech users should beempowered to have more control of their data and dismissed arguments from advertisers and tech companies who say the anti-tracking feature will hurt the online ad industry.

“When invasive tracking is your business model, you tend not to welcome transparency and customer choice.”