Apple has launched a new ad campaign for its Safari browser, emphasizing its safety features and critiquing other browsers for their data tracking practices. The campaign includes a video posted on YouTube, along with outdoor and digital ads.
The ad depicts flying creatures with cameras as heads, symbolizing the constant surveillance and data tracking that users face. These creatures represent the omnipresent online trackers monitoring user behavior. The ad primarily targets non-iPhone users, but concludes with an iPhone user opening Safari, which immediately dispels the tracking creatures. The ad ends with the tagline, “Safari: A browser that is actually private,” underscoring Safari’s commitment to user privacy and data protection.
Does Google Chrome Actually Track User Data?
Google Chrome has faced criticism over its handling of user data, particularly regarding invasive ad tracking. In 2023, Google announced plans to eliminate third-party cookies from Chrome and introduced the Privacy Sandbox as a new privacy measure intended to support digital businesses while protecting user data. However, users have been directed to activate the Ad Privacy feature, which involves tracking done within the browser by Google itself.
Safari Browser: User Safety and Privacy Features
Apple’s Safari browser is designed to protect users from unwanted tracking through its Intelligent Tracking Prevention feature. This feature employs on-device machine learning to block trackers while ensuring that websites remain functional.
When users visit a site, Safari presents a simplified version of their system configuration, making it harder for trackers to uniquely identify the device. Additionally, Safari uses link tracking protection to remove extra information added to URLs by some websites, and it includes advanced tracking and fingerprinting protections to guard against new tracking techniques.