Do you want your data tracked - yes/no?

Would you be disappointed if our unusual and unique silver jewellery was no longer available to you? If so, please read on...

Our business is small in comparison to some high-street and leading online jewellery traders - and I include the likes of Amazon in that list - so can you recall how you heard about Indigo Silver? A recommendation from family or friends, an organic listing in a search engine like Google, Bing or Yahoo perhaps? If not, then you probably saw one of our ads on Facebook or Google.

And here's the point - a significant proportion of our business is dependant on Facebooks' ability to connect people like you to businesses like us. However, some time early in 2021, to further their intent to make their App Store a 'safe and trusted place' and to give their Users 'fundamental choice', Apple will roll out an update to iOS 14, iPadOS 14, and tvOS 14 which will force all Apps, including Facebook and the search engines, to ask a simple question - something like 'Do you want this App to track your data, yes or no'.

Now, I know what you're thinking - that's easy, no!

For some Apps, that may be the right decision, without the need for further thought. Or you may be jumping to say 'no' out of a general distrust of the internet arising from well publicised events in recent times. But before you do, consider this - you will still see Ads, but they will no longer be relevant to you - a bit like having to sit through ads on independent TV channels!

You may be happy to endure that consequence, but you will also find it harder to discover and stay in touch with small businesses like ours, and those businesses will find it harder to survive. This will benefit the bigger brands and lead to less choice and innovation for you. Furthermore, websites and app makers like Google and Facebook, may be forced to charge for their services if their ability to run personalised ads is prevented.

I'm certainly not going to challenge anyone holding a deep routed general distrust of the internet - we all own a right to the beliefs we hold. For others, what I would ask is that if Apple, or anyone else in the future, presents you with a simple yes/no question, please take more than a moment to carefully weigh up the pros and cons of how your anonymous data is being used to improve your online shopping experience and support businesses like Indigo Silver.

If you have read this far then thank you for your interest - if you do have any comments or questions, then please don't hesitate to contact me.

Regards and Happy New Year!
Hayley.