Apple to bar apps that offer users incentives for enabling app tracking

Following the release of the AppTrackingTransparency framework, Apple outlined the design policies in a new section titled Accessing User Data as part of its Human Interface Guidelines. 

Apple said that apps that offer monetary incentives for enabling app tracking will be banned and rejected.

Any attempt to offer monetary incentives, display a screen that looks like a request, display an image of the alert, and annotate the screen behind the alert will be prohibited, Apple says. 

“Don’t offer incentives for granting the request. You can’t offer people compensation for granting their permission, and you can’t withhold functionality or content or make your app unusable until people allow you to track them.”

“Don’t display a custom message that mirrors the functionality of the system alert. In particular, don’t create a button title that uses “Allow” or similar terms, because people don’t allow anything in a pre-alert screen.”

“Don’t show an image of the standard alert and modify it in any way.”

“Don’t draw a visual cue that draws people’s attention to the system alert’s Allow button.”

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Apple allows developers to create custom pre-alert messages to provide a description of what the tracking is used for. However, Apple says those custom messages must offer only one action with wording like “Continue” and “Next”, which must display the system alert instead of a misleading and confusing wording like “Allow”. 

“If you display a custom screen that precedes a privacy-related permission request, it must offer only one action, which must display the system alert. Use a word like “Continue” to title the action; don’t use “Allow” or other terms that might make people think they’re granting their permission or performing other actions within your custom screen.”