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The impact of platform-level privacy policies on users’ privacy concerns: Evidence from Apple App Tracking Transparency via a dynamic difference-in-difference analysis

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  • Nam, Sangjun
  • Kwon, Youngsun

Abstract

Apple App Tracking Transparency (Apple ATT), one of the representative platform-level privacy policies, was introduced in April 2021. Considering that privacy concerns can affect users' privacy behavior as an antecedent, it is meaningful to investigate the impact of Apple ATT on users' privacy concerns to explore the effect of platform-level privacy policies on the digital society as well as their own platform ecosystems. However, there exist mixed views that the Apple ATT can either strengthen or mitigate users' privacy concerns by increasing privacy awareness or trustworthiness. In addition, the frame of the Apple ATT prompt may negatively affect users' perceptions of information privacy. To investigate which effect is stronger than the other, this study implemented a dynamic Difference-in-Difference analysis in a quasi-experimental setting. The result showed that introducing Apple ATT strengthened users' privacy concerns in the short term. It implies that platform-level privacy policies may shape users’ privacy perceptions by increasing privacy concerns. Moreover, this strengthened effect on privacy concerns due to the Apple ATT could be moderated by privacy protection literacy.

Suggested Citation

  • Nam, Sangjun & Kwon, Youngsun, 2026. "The impact of platform-level privacy policies on users’ privacy concerns: Evidence from Apple App Tracking Transparency via a dynamic difference-in-difference analysis," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 50(6).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:telpol:v:50:y:2026:i:6:s030859612600042x
    DOI: 10.1016/j.telpol.2026.103192
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