ri tightens its grip on third-party interaction
Apple’s Safari web browser, which has long been known for its focus on privacy, now restricts data collection. Apple has not communicated the changes, which could affect the design of many websites.
What’s happening. Apple has closed a loophole which allowed websites to misrepresent third-party cookies as their own. First-party cookie allows websites to identify returning users and allow them to log in without having to do so each time.
Integration is important. Many websites work with third parties, such as Google Analytics and Adobe Analytics, to improve functionality. These partners want to track their audience, but Safari hasn’t allowed third-party cookies since 2017. Websites have developed various techniques to make third-party cookie look like first-party cookies. Safari has been trying to combat these techniques for the last few years.
Apple posted on GitHub in October 2022 that it was going to limit the use of a certain cloaking method. Apple explained in the post that it would compare the IP addresses of the incoming responses with the IP addresses of the main response. Cookies can only be stored for seven days if the IP addresses are largely different. This limits the amount of data that can potentially be gathered and the inferences made.
Keep the words to yourself. Apple has never released an official blog about the change, or stated when it would be implemented. Anton Lipkanou of the analytics-focused agency Delve stated that this change was already active and is causing anomalies on website data. Jen Simmons, Apple Evangelist for the Web Developer Team of Safari & Webkit on Twitter, stated on April 11, that the change was not implemented. Apple has not responded to any of the questions.
Apple’s lack of communication is the main reason for Ad-tech executives’ unhappiness with this change, as it has a significant impact on website architecture.
Loch Rose, Chief Analytics Officer at Publicis’ data firm Epsilon, said that publishers and advertisers could be affected by this change, as sites using multiple third-party services may need to revise the way they operate their websites. He said that sites which receive a large percentage of their traffic via Apple could suffer significant functionalities.
Why we care. Apple’s Safari browser changes make it more difficult for websites to integrate with third-party tools like Google Analytics. This can have a direct impact on advertisers and brands who are able to collect and analyze user information. This can make it difficult for brands and advertisers to customize marketing campaigns, reach specific audiences, or measure the effectiveness their advertising strategies. This can lead to a lower ROI and a diminished performance of their marketing efforts.
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