Apple has pulled the plug on Facebook’s distribution of an app that paid users to track detailed phone and web usage. It’s another sore spot for the social media giant, which has faced growing scrutiny in past months over user privacy and protection.
Jennifer Stromer-Galley, a professor at Syracuse University’s School of Information Studies and director for the Center for Computational and Data Sciences, says the larger story is about the future revenue models of the tech giants and the value associated with increased advertising accuracy.
Stromer-Galley says:
“This is a fascinating set of events. Facebook and Google are turning to these research practices because I believe they want to increase the accuracy of their classification of users to increase the value of their advertising.
“Given that both companies have established their companies’ business models on the backs of advertising revenue, efforts to improve accuracy of the categories of users will make them even more valuable to advertisers who want specific market segments and increased profit from their advertising investment.
“Apple, by contrast, has established itself very actively as not having an ad-revenue business model. Tim Cook has repeatedly said that user privacy is of utmost important to the brand and they aren’t selling their customers as eyeballs to advertisers. So, Apple’s move to ban the Facebook app further reinforces their message and brand image that such data-tracking practices by third-party vendors (in this case Facebook and Google) are forbidden.
“At a 10,000-foot level, this story is about the future revenue models of the tech giants.”
To request interviews or get more information:
Daryl Lovell
Media Relations Manager
Division of Marketing and Communications
T 315.443.1184 M 315.380.0206
dalovell@syr.edu | @DarylLovell
820 Comstock Avenue, Suite 308, Syracuse, NY 13244
news.syr.edu | syracuse.edu
Syracuse University
Just a few weeks ago, the Environmental Protection Agency announced it was pulling 12 products off the market that contained pesticides that were harmful to the honeybee. This week, the agency made an emergency exception for nearly a dozen states…
A portion of the fiscal 2020 Agriculture spending bill continues a ban on research that involves gene-editing of human embryos. The field of genetic modification garnered international attention after a Chinese scientist announced last fall that he had created the…
Next week, China is expected to raise tariffs on $60 billion worth of U.S. goods and products, following Pres. Trump’s decision to raise duties on Chinese goods. Which sectors of the retail industry are likely to feel the pinch the…
Syracuse University School of Architecture Dean Michael Speaks offers his thoughts on the passing of I.M. Pei at the age of 102. I.M. Pei was one of the most important architects of the second half of the Twentieth Century….
Those looking up at the sky in northern U.S. states and most of Canada may catch a glimpse of the northern lights this week. Sam Sampere is a physics lab manager at Syracuse University’s College of Arts and Sciences. Below,…
If you need help with your subscription, contact sunews@syr.edu.
