Mark Zuckerberg admitted that the App Tracking Transparency (ATT) anti-tracking ad system introduced by Apple last year will affect Meta's advertising revenue. But now according to app developer Felix Krause, he has found evidence that Meta continues to track iOS device users through the web browser built into the Instagram and Facebook apps.
When an in-app link is clicked, by default the app's built-in web browser will be used. Krause said Instagram/Facebook would then inject Javascript scripts into web browser code that would allow them to track user activity without permission.
What Meta tracks through this built-in web browser is not known exactly. But Meta has given Krause a statement that the data it collects is to look at users' purchasing and advertising habits only. Especially if the link in Instagram that is clicked is from an ad.
Meta does not track users when they use other web browsers. All tracking only takes place in Instagram's built-in web browser. If you don't want activity to be tracked by Meta, Krause suggests they choose to open the link in Instagram using Safari because the option is given.