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It depends on how Apple provides those ads. If they handle the ad selection on their end, and don't provide any information back to the advertiser, it's functionally anonymous.

Saying "here's this guy's address, provide an ad for him" is very different from "send me ads for this area, and I'll show them to people who are near there".

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You are right, and you highlight an important development here: In moving into the world of targeted advertising, Apple's going to have to let go just a bit and engage in some transparency.

I want to know what's being collected on me, where it's going, and what it's going to be used for. Heck, if anyone has the capability to make this kind of disclosure uncommonly clear and intuitive, it's Apple.

Not really.

They will probably give you at least as much control as facebook as they will be able to target you by the apps you own. If this is the case then its not that hard to target ads to exactly one person. See here: http://www.gabrielweinberg.com/blog/2010/05/a-fb-ad-targeted...

Why would they model iAds after facebook? I would say the current facebook model has a nearing expiry date. It's certainly possible that Apple don't see this or don't care, but to just assume it isn't giving them much credit.

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