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I've asked this before on here and didn't get much of a response. If Apple truly believes in privacy, does this mean that they have a strict policy against using the data provided by companies that have a lower ethical stance on data collection? Is it more ethical to pay and benefit from the data for targeted advertising than it is to collect the data yourself?

Edit: On re-read I thought it might be unclear what I'm asking. Does Apple use Facebook and Google data for targeted advertising?



Your question is still unclear to me: are you asking if they advertise on platforms that collect and use data to match users with ads (Facebook and google), or if they buy data from firms to use in their own advertisements / marketing campaigns.

I don’t know the answer to either question, but I assume the answer to the first is yes of course they advertise on these platforms (on google at least), and the answer to the second is, I hope No.


I was mostly meaning the first example you provided. These platforms are so good (at least they claim to be) at matching users and ads because of their extensive data collection/sharing practices. Is it cool to say "We respect our users privacy" if they are benefiting directly from another companies less privacy respecting practices?


They have no choice. There is no technical way for Apple to monitor what data apps are sending out without doing something like MITM every connection which is a million times worse.

So they have to rely on a punishment model where they demand apps provide a privacy policy then kick them off the store if they fail to comply with it.


I think he was asking whether Apple itself buys ads on platforms like Facebook. e.g., ads for Apple prodcuts.

The implication being that by doing so, they would be benefiting from the aggressive data collection performed by those platforms.


Yet Apple makes money from apps that collect data, made by developers.


> Yet Apple makes money from apps that collect data, made by developers.

If an app is free, but makes its money through data collection, then no, Apple doesn't make money off of it.

If they charge for the app, and then do data collection, then yes, Apple makes money off of the initial app purchase, but not off of the data collection.




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