In Fight to Diminish Apple, Facebook Runs Attack Ads, Creates New Microsite

Facebook versus Apple. The battle of the tech titans is on.

According to Facebook, “Apple announced product and policy changes that will impact data sharing across iOS. The policy and the limits it places on advertising will harm the growth of businesses and the free internet.”

Here’s the interpretation of the above in a full-page print ad (that ran in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and elsewhere).

Facebook claims to stand up for small businesses in this battle. I don’t know who would fall for this obvious decoy. Facebook is self-interested, as always, and in this case, its self-interest is in protecting its multi-billion dollar advertising juggernaut.

Fundamentally, It’s About Access to Information

The New York Times frames the battle of tech titans like so:

At the heart of the fight is how Facebook and Apple are diametrically opposed on how they make money — and which company wins out is likely to help shape the internet for years to come. Apple prefers that consumers pay for their internet experience, leaving less need for advertisers, while Facebook favors making the internet free for the public, with the bill footed by companies that pay to show people ads.

Apple’s contention is that Facebook can continue to do what it does, FOLLOWING an opt-in from users of Apple devices. What’s so bad about that?

A great number of people will choose NOT to be tracked across the internet by Facebook. This is why Team Zuck is mad. Apple is putting its’ adversary’s advertising and operational practices front-and-center where they belong—ostensibly doing the job that the U.S. government will not.

In Related News, Unilever Is Back on Facebook’s Page

Unilever said it would resume advertising on Facebook in the U.S. The consumer packaged goods giant stopped advertising on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter in June as part of the #StopHateForProfit boycott.

In a blog post, Unilever said it has seen “encouraging progress” while working with the platforms as part of the Global Alliance for Responsible Media, of which Unilever is a founding partner.

“We have a unique role and responsibility to address the complexities of the social media ecosystem.” Luis Di Como, EVP, global media at Unilever, said. “Our long-term goal is to work with our partners and the industry to drive systemic change.”