4 ms·

> The iAd framework then collects just the impression metrics — how many times each ad was shown to a given user — and then every-so-often batches those metrics

by MikeUt 5y ago

> The iAd framework then collects just the impression metrics — how many times each ad was shown to a given user — and then every-so-often batches those metrics out to Apple's servers. If Apple knows how many times you were shown each ad, and which keywords are associated with that ad, then they are able to reconstruct which keywords appeared in your encrypted chat, and how often.

make3 5y ago
that's why they're pre-cached in theory, so they don't have to know. if you're saying you can't trust the closed source implementation, then yeah
- MikeUt 5y ago
  "and then every-so-often batches those metrics out to Apple's servers" means they do know, even if we trust the implementation. For example, if you publish an ad that only matches the word "fnord", and the metrics reveal that you were shown that ad at least once, Apple can work out that "fnord" appeared in your chat.
derefr 5y ago
I believe the iAd platform offers fine-grained "eyeball" targeting, but not fine-grained context targeting. The iAds framework knows a lot about the device and its owner; but it doesn't/can't directly read the content of the app the iAd gets embedded into (the "host" app) — only the host app's barest metadata, e.g. the App Store category the host app is published under (e.g. Games vs. Productivity vs. Travel, etc.) In the case of some apps, e.g. Apple's own News app, the app may opt to feed the iAds framework a "context clue" about the content currently being viewed — telling it the category of content being displayed (e.g. is this a Business News story? An Entertainment story? etc.) But this is just a high-level, categorical identifier attached to the metadata of the item being displayed, with no ability for specific content within the viewport to trigger specific ads. Apple has a page for exactly what the iAds framework does/doesn't use as an input for its targeting algorithm: https://support.apple.com/en-ca/HT205223 https://support.apple.com/en-ca/HT205223 One interesting thing I figure I should highlight from that page, for the sake of people who don't bother to click: > We create segments, which are groups of people who share similar characteristics, and use these groups for delivering targeted ads. Information about you may be used to determine which segments you’re assigned to, and thus, which ads you receive. To protect your privacy, targeted ads are delivered only if more than 5,000 people meet the targeting criteria. This is, I believe, a move to combat "seemingly-innocent" targeting rules that nevertheless de-anonymize someone, just because that person is weird. For example, if you're the only Tagalog speaker in Cuba, just plain-old Region+Language targeting that every platform supports would be enough to target+track you specifically. So Apple just won't allow "Cuba+Tagalog" unless there are at least 5000 Tagalog speakers in Cuba with iOS devices.

by MikeUt 5y ago

make3 5y ago

that's why they're pre-cached in theory, so they don't have to know. if you're saying you can't trust the closed source implementation, then yeah

MikeUt 5y ago
"and then every-so-often batches those metrics out to Apple's servers" means they do know, even if we trust the implementation. For example, if you publish an ad that only matches the word "fnord", and the metrics reveal that you were shown that ad at least once, Apple can work out that "fnord" appeared in your chat.

derefr 5y ago

I believe the iAd platform offers fine-grained "eyeball" targeting, but not fine-grained context targeting. The iAds framework knows a lot about the device and its owner; but it doesn't/can't directly read the content of the app the iAd gets embedded into (the "host" app) — only the host app's barest metadata, e.g. the App Store category the host app is published under (e.g. Games vs. Productivity vs. Travel, etc.) In the case of some apps, e.g. Apple's own News app, the app may opt to feed the iAds framework a "context clue" about the content currently being viewed — telling it the category of content being displayed (e.g. is this a Business News story? An Entertainment story? etc.) But this is just a high-level, categorical identifier attached to the metadata of the item being displayed, with no ability for specific content within the viewport to trigger specific ads. Apple has a page for exactly what the iAds framework does/doesn't use as an input for its targeting algorithm: https://support.apple.com/en-ca/HT205223 https://support.apple.com/en-ca/HT205223 One interesting thing I figure I should highlight from that page, for the sake of people who don't bother to click: > We create segments, which are groups of people who share similar characteristics, and use these groups for delivering targeted ads. Information about you may be used to determine which segments you’re assigned to, and thus, which ads you receive. To protect your privacy, targeted ads are delivered only if more than 5,000 people meet the targeting criteria. This is, I believe, a move to combat "seemingly-innocent" targeting rules that nevertheless de-anonymize someone, just because that person is weird. For example, if you're the only Tagalog speaker in Cuba, just plain-old Region+Language targeting that every platform supports would be enough to target+track you specifically. So Apple just won't allow "Cuba+Tagalog" unless there are at least 5000 Tagalog speakers in Cuba with iOS devices.