Apple requires that developers publishing apps on the App Store disclose certain information regarding their apps' data use. Apple has announced that these disclosures will be required for new apps and app updates starting December 8, 2020. This guide explains the PAL SDK's data collection practices as of 2.8.1, to make it easier for Ad Manager developers to answer the questions in App Store Connect.
To improve the performance of Ad Manager, the PAL SDK may collect certain information from apps, including:
- IP address, which may be used to estimate the general location of a device.
- User-associated performance data such as app launch time, hang rate, or energy usage, which may be used to evaluate user behavior, understand the effectiveness of existing product features, and plan new features. Performance data may also be used for displaying ads, including sharing with other entities that display ads.
- A Device ID, such as the device's advertising identifier or other app- or developer-bounded device identifiers, which may be used for the purpose of third-party advertising and analytics.
- Advertising data, such as advertisements the user has seen, may be used to power analytics and advertising features.
- Other user product interactions like app launch taps, and interaction information, like video views, may be used to improve advertising performance.
If you are using any optional product features that involve additional data (such as advance reporting) or participating in any tests of new product features that involve additional data, be sure to check if those features or tests require additional data disclosures.
If you are using a prior version of the PAL SDK, consider updating to the latest version to ensure your app's disclosures are accurate. The PAL SDK will continue to be updated over time. This article will reflect these changes, so make sure to check back and update your disclosures as necessary.
Apple's privacy manifest files
PAL SDK version 2.8.1 and higher supports privacy manifest declarations. You are responsible for checking the privacy manifest and ensuring that your application's data disclosures are up to date. Refer to Apple documentation for details on interpreting a privacy report.