Facebook claims new Apple iOS could hurt ad targeting

Facebook Chief Financial Officer David Wehner said on Thursday that the Apple iOS 14 system could hurt the way the social media network targets ads to users.

With the update of the iOS 14, Apple users will be able to choose if they want app developers to track their activity across other apps and websites.

Apple has not said when iOS 14 will launch, but it’s expected to roll out this year.

“We’re still trying to understand what these changes will look like and how they will impact us and the rest of the industry, but at the very least, it’s going to make it harder for app developers and others to grow using ads on Facebook and elsewhere,” Wehner said.

The change is expected to start impacting Facebook’s advertising in the third quarter but will have more impact in the fourth.

“Our view is that Facebook and targeted ads are a lifeline for small businesses, especially in the time of Covid, and we are concerned that aggressive platform policies will cut at that lifeline at a time when it is so essential to small business growth and recovery,” Wehner said.