Apple's Safari Browser Adds Ad Tracking Technology, Continues to Collect Data in Incognito Mode

In the current climate of browser innovation focusing on privacy protection in ad tracking, Google and its Chrome browser are leading the charge with the introduction of Privacy Sandbox. This initiative promotes pushing topics of potential interest to advertisers through categorized themes. Meanwhile, Mozilla Firefox and Meta Facebook are advocating for a technology known as privacy-preserving attribution, which is currently enabled by default in Firefox as an advertising measurement feature, also collecting user data.

Typically, Apple users have little to worry about when it comes to privacy issues, given Apple's strong stance on privacy protection. However, this situation has changed, as the Safari browser has also integrated ad tracking technology, even within its incognito mode.

Today, Apple's WebKit team published an extensive blog post detailing additional measures taken by Safari in incognito mode to protect user privacy. However, the team also revealed an expansion of the Web AdAttributionKit (previously known as Private Click Measurement) as an alternative to tracking parameters in URLs, aiding ad networks in understanding the effectiveness of their marketing campaigns in incognito mode.

Web AdAttributionKit allows advertisers, website, and app developers to measure ad attribution and clicks in a privacy-preserving manner, similar to the technology used by Mozilla Firefox, sharing partial user data with ad networks.

Nevertheless, the addition of such ad tracking technology in Safari's incognito mode is worrisome, despite Apple's explanations. Although incognito mode does not fully block tracking, most users believe it offers better privacy protection.

The only additional protection in incognito mode is the discarding of pending attribution requests. If a user closes an incognito tab, any data will be cleared, including unprocessed attribution requests, but data from processed requests will still be shared with ad networks.

Despite the inevitable changes in ad tracking by browsers and the tech industry, Landian.news  wants to remind everyone that browser incognito mode does not make you invisible. Do not be misled by the name.

When browsing in incognito mode:

• Advertisers can still collect your IP and device information.
• Advertisers can still gather data on ad performance through new technologies.
• Advertisers might not use new technology for personalized ads (but can base it on IP for personalized ads).
• The only effective thing about incognito mode may be that closing a tab clears browsing history and cookies, preventing this information from remaining on your device. However, the data collected by ad networks will be retained by them.