Reports indicate that Meta is facing a newly proposed class action lawsuit that accuses the company of tracking and collecting the personal date of iPhone users.
This tracking is despite features and policies made by Apple which are a measure to stop this type of tracking.
Lawsuit Filed Against Meta Over Tracking iPhone Users with In-App Browser
Back in August, it was shown that both Facebook and Instagram apps allow Meta to track all of a user’s key taps, keyboard inputs and more while using the in-app browser. For example, when a user clicks a link on Instagram, Meta is able to monitor the user’s interactions, text selections and even text inputs, such as passwords and private credit card details within that particular website.
In a report from Bloomberg Law, the new lawsuit saw filing on Wednesday in a San Francisco federal court. The new lawsuit accuses Meta of this violation. The newly proposed class action lawsuit accuses Meta of violating Apple’s ATT framework as well as state and federal laws by collecting user data without user consent within Facebook and Instagram apps.
Meta has issued the following statement:
These allegations are without merit and we will defend ourselves vigorously. We have designed our in-app browser to respect users’ privacy choices, including how data may be used for ads.
Further Problems
For most apps on the iPhone, developers implement Apple’s Safari to open links within their apps. However, Meta has developed its own custom in-app browser based on Apple’s WebKit framework for both Instagram and Facebook. Meta’s browser is able to inject a tracking JavaScript codenamed “Meta Pixel” into all shown websites and links.
Additionally, the lawsuit accuses Meta of using the in-app browser on Facebook and Instagram as a means to circumvent the rules enforced by Apple to prevent unwanted tracking of users.
According to Bloomberg Law, the lawsuit states that, “This allows Meta to intercept, monitor, and record its users’ interactions and communications with third parties, providing data to Meta that it aggregates, analyzes, and uses to boost its advertising revenue”.
Apple originally introduced App Tracking Transparency within iOS 14.5, since then, Meta has been one of the largest opposition against the feature. In addition to taking out a full page advertisement against the feature, Meta also blamed ATT for a recent hiring freeze.
According to sources, ATT is likely to cost Meta $10 billion in revenue this year alone.
Nick:
Anyone surprised that Zuckerberg would use an in-app browser to not only track but log one’s keystrokes, including those for passwords, is either incurably naïve or endowed with the memory of a gnat. Since when has this not been his M O?
The man’s consistent arguments and complaints have indicated that he feels entitled to your data simply because you have entered his honey pot. That’s the deal, and the price of admission. In fact, that’s the whole point! Meta’s business is data farming, harvest and sell.
And if Apple, or any other parties, are going to lessen that access, ie Meta’s crop yield with something so reprehensible as consent to track (the commie scumbags!), then of course he’s going to treat that like some infestation of pests or blight and spray that with a work-around. And as soon as that work-around fails, expect – indeed set your stopwatches- on another backend fix, because blocking his access to your data is ruining the Meta harvest.
That’s why I rarely go on either platform. Yes, I have accounts on both, I warn others (my family and others) that they are giving Meta their information for free. Also, don’t let these apps run in the background if you do login.
Shame on them!
Hang on, let me show you my shocked face. Oh, never mind…I can’t even pretend to be surprised by this.