On June 8th, Apple released its latest announcement on upcoming changes in intended to enhance iOS consumer privacy including:
Private relay will reportedly disguise a user’s IP address by redirecting traffic through two separate servers, making it impossible for marketers to use the identification method to reach their target audience.
Mail Privacy Protection, which will hide users’ IP addresses to prevent senders link their email accounts to their online activity or location)
These changes, which are expected to be implemented later this year, mark a continuation of a trend that has been occurring over many years. Apple first started blocking third-party cookies on impressions in 2014, introduced Intelligent Tracking Prevention (ITP) in 2017, and more recently implemented App Tracking Transparency (ATT) in 2021.
The latest news raises questions about the impact on FTrack, Flashtalking’s cookieless solution for measurement and personalization. The short answer is that while details are still pending, we do not expect it to materially impact our role as the ad server and source of truth for measurement and personalization. Our view is based on the following:
Data sufficiency:
As noted, the data signals available for analysis have been declining for years. Whereas we once processed almost 60 unique signals from each device, today we receive roughly half of those. But unlike upstarts who are new to probabilistic identity, Flashtalking’s algorithmic models are backed by nearly a decade of machine learning. This experience allows Flashtalking to do more with less data—and we will continue to do so.
Fraud detection:
Flashtalking now provides advertisers a world-class fraud detection solution. Protected by Flashtalking verifies that humans, not bots, are consuming ads. The fraud solution focuses on the analysis of user devices and behavior, giving Flashtalking a legitimate right to the data that is needed to perform this important function. As video advertising continues to grow, the need to verify human consumption will become even more important. Protected by Flashtalking is one of very few CTV fraud solutions accredited by the MRC.
Declining share of iOS media:
Since ITP was introduced in 2017, advertisers have begun targeting away from iOS devices. Today, ads served to Safari on mobile devices represent less than 10% of our global ad volume.
Always innovating:
Advertising is not going away—it is always evolving and we’ll continue to lead the industry in finding ways to deliver, personalize, audit and provide the insights advertisers need while honoring consumer privacy. One example is our new solution for tracking in-app conversions to media exposure through the use of first-party customer data.
Flashtalking Is Prepared
Flashtalking is also leading the effort to honor consumer privacy by making notice and choice a requirement on every ad served by Flashtalking.
As the only media-neutral, independent platform for delivering, verifying, personalizing and measuring media engagement across the globe, no company has a more legitimate interest to access and analyze data than Flashtalking.
The Future of FTrack
As Apple seeks to enhance—rather than cripple—the performance and usability of Safari, it will have to work with good actors to ensure the customer experience is comparable to that of other browsers. Flashtalking is uniquely positioned to balance the needs of advertisers, consumers and tech platforms, including Apple, Google, Facebook and the growing CTV ecosystem.
For these reasons, Flashtalking is very confident in the sustainability and continued performance of FTrack as a privacy-friendly solution for improving identity resolution and orchestration throughout the campaign lifecycle. Even without a full IP address, we receive more than enough privacy-compliant data to provide brands with the decisioning and insights they need to deliver, personalize and optimize advertising for consumers.
Last updated 6/30/21
