How to turn off ad tracking on Apple iPhones

Controversy is brewing over a recent report that says Apple is letting advertisers track iPhone users.

The technology is called identifierForAdvertising (IDFA), Business Insider reports, and its purpose is to let advertisers track iPhone users. It works by assigning a random, anonymous number to a device. Advertisers can then track your behavior and serve up targeted advertising.

There is a way to opt out of ad tracking, but it isn't so easy to find. CBS San Francisco's Kiet Do took the device out on the streets of Palo Alto, Calif. to see if the option was intuitive enough for an average person to turn off. The results were grim.

Turns out, the setting for ad tracking is not under "privacy," but rather the "general" settings page, under "about." After scrolling down, there is a menu option that says "advertising." That is where to turn on "limit ad tracking."

[BWB2020]

Limit tracking?

Limit to whom, pray tell?

How about "turn tracking off"?

[californiadreaming]

Yes, good info! Apple turns me off the longer I have any of their products. For 30 years, it's been the, "my way or nothing" attitude. Now it's tracking users. Pretty hardware and a bad attitude will not keep them going in the long run.

[earla--2008]

This is good, really good info. I'll pass it on.

Thanks,
Earl