Twitter now keeps tabs on your apps to show better ads
Twitter quietly rolled out a new change to its mobile application on Wednesday that now allows it to monitor the other apps you have installed on your device.
The reason? “To help build a more tailored experience for you on Twitter.”
According to the support thread describing the change, the new app graph feature will help Twitter’s mobile app improve “who to follow” suggestions and show more relevant non-followed tweets and accounts on your timeline.
More importantly, the app graph will also be used to show “more relevant promoted content” – or, in other words, better targeted advertising.
Good change, bad change?
While it might sound like this change is a bad thing, it is actually a little more complicated.
True, this does mean that the app is accessing more private data on your phone, which is a growing concern for many people who use social media.
But the app graph doesn’t mean that Twitter will be showing you any more promoted content than it already does. Rather, it will show the same amount with hopefully more relevant ads that you might actually care about.
The app graph accesses the list of applications you have installed on your device, but the support thread points out that it does not collect any information on data from within the applications.
It will know exactly how many versions of Angry Birds you have installed, but it can’t see how bad you are at it.
Turning it off
There is good news for the more privacy-conscious: The app graph feature can be turned off.
Now, this won’t remove the promoted content the app shows you, but it will prevent Twitter from snooping on your other applications.
Removal instructions for Android:
Go to the settings menu by tapping the overflow icon (the three vertical dots on the top right bar) and choose your account. Under “Other” uncheck the box next to “Tailor Twitter based on my apps.”
Removal instructions for iOS:
Go to the settings menu by tapping on the gear icon and choose your account. Under “Privacy” uncheck the box next to “Tailor Twitter based on my apps.”
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