Snapchat warns Apple's privacy changes could hurt ad business

Snapchat reported its fourth-quarter earnings Thursday. Angela Lang/CNET Snap, the parent company of disappearing messaging app Snapchat, warned that Apple’s upcoming privacy update could make it tougher to rake in ad dollars, even as it reported fourth-quarter results that beat analyst expectations. The company also said some advertisers had paused campaigns in the first two weeks of January after the deadly riot at the US Capitol on Jan. 6.  CFO Derek Andersen said upcoming changes to Apple’s iOS 14 will “present another risk of interruption to demand” though he also noted the long-term impact is unclear. Apple plans to release a new privacy feature in the first quarter that will require users to opt in to apps collecting their data from other companies’ apps and websites.  Everything Apple CNET’s Apple Report newsletter delivers news, reviews and advice on iPhones, iPads, Macs and software. Apple said it’s making the changes to the popular mobile operating system to give users more control over their data. Social networks, including Facebook, have expressed concern the changes will affect the ability of advertisers to reach customers with targeted ads. Facebook said Apple’s changes are about “profit not privacy” because if apps turned more to in-app purchases…
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