Social media giant Facebook has run another full-page ad in three major newspapers claiming that Apple’s tracking change will harm small businesses and the internet as a whole. Apple has responded to Facebook’s attack ads, stating: “Users should know when their data is being collected and shared across other apps and websites — and they should have the choice to allow that or not.”

MacRumors reports that for the second consecutive day, Facebook is lashing out at fellow tech giant Apple over an upcoming iOS 14 privacy measure that will require users to grant permission for their mobile activity to be tracked by apps for personalized ads.

Facebook has once again taken out ads in the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, and the Washington Post claiming that Apple’s tracking change will not only harm small businesses but the internet as a whole.

Facebook claims that due to Apple’s new policy, many apps and websites will be forced to charge subscription fees or add more in-app purchases to generate profits, making the internet “much more expensive.”

Facebook’s latest ad reads:

Apple vs. the free internet

Apple plans to roll out a forced software update that will change the internet as we know it—for the worse.

Take your favorite cooking sites or sports blogs. Most are free because they show advertisements.

Apple’s change will limit their ability to run personalized ads. To make ends meet, many will have to start charging you subscription fees or adding more in-app purchases, making the internet much more expensive and reducing high-quality free content.

Beyond hurting apps and websites, many in the small business community say this change will be devastating for them too, at a time when they face enormous challenges. They need to be able to effectively reach the people most interested in their products and services to grow.

Forty-four percent of small to medium businesses started or increased their usage of personalized ads on social media during the pandemic, according to a new Deloitte
study. Without personalized ads, Facebook data shows that the average small business advertiser stands to see a cut of over 60% in their sales for every dollar they spend.

Small businesses deserve to be heard. We’re standing up to Apple for our small business customers and our communities.

A Facebook spokesperson told MacRumors that Apple’s decision “isn’t about privacy, it’s about profit.” The spokesperson added: “Paying for content may be fine for some, but most people, especially during these challenging times, don’t have room in their budget for these fees.”

Responding to Facebook, Apple stated: “We believe that this is a simple matter of standing up for our users… Users should know when their data is being collected and shared across other apps and websites — and they should have the choice to allow that or not.”

Lucas Nolan is a reporter for Breitbart News covering issues of free speech and online censorship. Follow him on Twitter @LucasNolan or contact via secure email at the address lucasnolan@protonmail.com