Are we headed for two separate internets?

It’s possible, according to the NYT, given a growing separation between how Apple and Google believe in privacy. 

• The current version of the internet was built on ads: Giants like Facebook and Twitter have made billions off targeted advertising. They were able to thrive because the default option in top browsers and softwares from Google and Apple was for users to be tracked and for their information to be collected. 

• Apple and Google are now changing their ways: Google will still allow for tracking but for less personal data to be made available. Apple has allowed for users to prevent themselves from being tracked entirely, and some 80% of users have opted out this year.

This is where we get the two internets

iPhone users will have an experience that feels more like the 90s or early 2000s, with less relevant and less targeted advertisements. Things won’t change nearly as much for Android users.

The Verdict

Regardless of whether Google goes as far as Apple, it could hurt Facebook. The company’s engineers are already working on targeted ads that are not reliant on data.