Meta is facing a new proposed class action lawsuit that accuses it of tracking and collecting the personal data of iPhone users despite features and policies made by Apple which are supposed to stop that type of tracking.
When using the in-app browser, Meta can track all of a user's key taps, keyboard inputs, and more. Meta can monitor a user's interactions, text selections, and even credit card details when they click on a link on a website.
The practice of tracking users is a direct violation of Apple's ATT policy, which requires apps to ask for user consent before tracking them across apps and websites owned by other companies.
The lawsuit was filed in San Francisco federal court. Meta is accused of violating Apple's ATT framework and state and federal laws by collecting user data without user consent.
Most apps on the iPhone use Apple'sSafari to open links. Meta has created an in-app browser that is based on Apple's WebKit framework. Meta's browser allows it to inject a tracking Javascript code into all links.
Meta is accused of using in-app browsers to circumvent Apple's rules in order to track users. According to the lawsuit, this allows Meta to intercept, monitor, and record its users' interactions and communications with third parties, providing data to Meta that it gathers, analyzes, and uses to boost its advertising revenue.
Meta has been against Apple's ATT policy since it was introduced in June 2021.
Meta claimed in a full-page newspaper ad that Apple was hurting the ability of small businesses to grow, since if users opt-out of tracking, they're less likely to see ads tailored to them. Meta's business is expected to lose $10 billion in revenue this year as a result of Apple's att framework.
MacRumors has received a statement from a Meta spokesman.
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.
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