Is ATT required for launching out to web?

My app was recently rejected because of non-compliance with App Tracking transparency because, while I do not use any kind of tracking in my app whatsoever, I do link out to the website that my company owns, and on that site, there are cookies.

I obviously cannot control what the website does as I'm not on that team. Is there any way to launch a website that uses cookies without requiring the ATT popup?

I've heard that SFSafariViewController is sufficient but WKWebview is not. Is this true? Is there something I can do to launch to the website (for things like FAQs) but avoid requiring the ATT popup?

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tomquercia
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  • Hi, we're having the same issue, how did you manage it?

    —
    mumobilize

  • We are also in same situation - Can you provide some insights if you have resolved this !

    —
    Ashraf_Maxim

  • Same issue here.. :(

    —
    denismartin
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We eventually resolved this by launching out to Safari instead of using webviews inside our app.

Per this link:

https://developer.apple.com/app-store/user-privacy-and-data-use/

If tracking occurs within a webview inside an app, do I need to use the AppTrackingTransparency prompt?

Yes. If you are using a webview for app functionality, it should be treated the same way as native functionality in your app, unless you are enabling the user to navigate the open web.

So if you plan on using a webview to display the content inside your app, and that content uses cookies, you will need to display the ATT popup or you will be rejected.

We switched to launching out to Safari instead of keeping them in-app, and we were promptly approved, no need for ATT since our app was no longer able to track the user across sites or apps.

Hope that helps.

Posted by
tomquercia
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  • Is this answer still valid? We want to be sure before we try this way ;-)

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    stefan09

  • @stefan09 I can confirm that we have been approved for release several times after making this change. Our app does not use the AppTrackingTransparency popup at all, and we launch web URLs which contain cookies, however it is not within our app. Launching them in the user's browser does not require AppTrackingTransparency popups.

    However, if you plan to keep the content "in your app" by using a webview, regardless of which type of webview you use, it seems that Apple will require you to display the AppTrackingTransparency popup to users.

    —
    tomquercia
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We eventually resolved this by launching out to Safari instead of using webviews inside our app.

Per this link:

https://developer.apple.com/app-store/user-privacy-and-data-use/

If tracking occurs within a webview inside an app, do I need to use the AppTrackingTransparency prompt?

Yes. If you are using a webview for app functionality, it should be treated the same way as native functionality in your app, unless you are enabling the user to navigate the open web.

So if you plan on using a webview to display the content inside your app, and that content uses cookies, you will need to display the ATT popup or you will be rejected.

We switched to launching out to Safari instead of keeping them in-app, and we were promptly approved, no need for ATT since our app was no longer able to track the user across sites or apps.

Hope that helps.

Posted by
tomquercia
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Post marked as solved

  • Is this answer still valid? We want to be sure before we try this way ;-)

    —
    stefan09

  • @stefan09 I can confirm that we have been approved for release several times after making this change. Our app does not use the AppTrackingTransparency popup at all, and we launch web URLs which contain cookies, however it is not within our app. Launching them in the user's browser does not require AppTrackingTransparency popups.

    However, if you plan to keep the content "in your app" by using a webview, regardless of which type of webview you use, it seems that Apple will require you to display the AppTrackingTransparency popup to users.

    —
    tomquercia
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I faced the same issue, so I implementented ATT in my app and fall back to launching Safari from the app.

That being said, it raise a question for me & ATT. To be fair, as a user, if I use Safari and visit any Apple website, shouldn't Safari ask me if I want Apple to track my activity on there website (they do use cookies). I mean, shouldn't the same rule apply for Apple?

Posted by
denismartin
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I am using SFSafariViewController and the review teams still asked me to implement ATT. For the moment (still in review) I ask for ATT, and if I don't have the user consent I am replacing the Safari view by a message prompting the user to open the link externally.

Will tell you if the review team agree with me. For the moment, they disagree with the wording of the message in ATT.

Posted by
denismartin
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  • Hello  denismartin We are facing the same issue, our app is also having a webview and we're showing our web page in it. The website is having cookies so the apple review team asked us to implement ATT. Even after adding the ATT, they rejected our app with the below message -

    We noticed you collect data to track after the user selects "Ask App Not to Track" on the App Tracking Transparency permission request. Specifically, we noticed your app accesses web content you own and collects cookies for tracking after the user asked you not to track them.

    Can you please help us out with how you handled this issue and got your app approved? Thanks in advance.

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    amanpreet-motifworks

  • Hello amanpreet-motifworks, we are also facing same issue. don't understand how to handle such ATT "Ask App Not to Track" on the App Tracking Transparency permission request.Please someone suggest. Thanks !

    —
    harishfrombhuj kutch
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I also had this problem and I am not sure what opening the URL with Safari improves. Using the SFSafariViewController you don't have access to any extra information that you would have when opening it from Safari. In addition, if I would like to track the user with some kind of identifier, I could send this identifier to Safari as well as a URL parameter. What is this measure trying to improve, apart from worsening the User Experience?

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arodriguezju
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