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iOS 18 takes strong action against apps that demand complete access to address books

iOS apps that build their own social networks on the back of users’ address books may soon become a thing of the past. In iOS 18, Apple is cracking down on the social apps that ask users’ permission to access their contacts — something social apps often do to connect users with their friends or make suggestions for who to follow. To give users more control over the contacts an app can and cannot access, the permissions screen has two stages. Before that, apps like Poparazzi and Clubhouse had demanded full address book access — a growth hack that helped them quickly expand their networks. iOS 18 will let users decide which contacts an app can access.

Kira Kim
June 12, 2024
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Curious Inquiry: EU Raises Concerns Over Meta’s “Pay or Be Tracked” Consent Approach

Now the EU is asking questions about Meta’s ‘pay or be tracked’ consent modelMeta’s controversial pay or be tracked ‘consent’ choice for users the European Union is facing questions from the European Commission. Meta’s ad-free subscription is controversial because under EU data protection law consent must be informed, specific and freely given if it’s to be valid. Now the EU itself is stepping in with an RFI under the DSA, the bloc’s recently updated ecommerce rulebook. In follow-up questions last month, the MEPs criticized internal market commissioner, Thierry Breton, for what they couched as “inadequate answers” — repeating their ask for a clear verdict on Meta’s ‘pay or consent’ model. We also reached out to Ireland’s DPC for an update on its review of Meta’s consent or pay model — which has been ongoing for around six months.