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Can we init Firebase Analytics if user has rejected AppTrackingTransparency dialog?

As noted here: https://developer.apple.com/app-store/user-privacy-and-data-use/

With iOS 14, iPadOS 14, and tvOS 14, you will need to receive the user’s permission through the AppTrackingTransparency framework to track them or access their device’s advertising identifier. Tracking refers to the act of linking user or device data collected from your app with user or device data collected from other companies’ apps, websites, or offline properties for targeted advertising or advertising measurement purposes. Tracking also refers to sharing user or device data with data brokers.

"you will need to receive the user’s permission through the AppTrackingTransparency framework to track them"

So the problem is not only about using "device’s advertising identifier", the problem is also if you are tracking the user. So, what happens if the user doesn't accept the AppTrackingTransparency dialog? Should I avoid initializing analytics? If so, how can I do that? I'm starting Firebase (push and analytics) with a single line:

FirebaseApp.configure()

So, if it's necessary to stop analytics in case the user has rejected the dialog, how can I stop analytics?

PS: there is a question in Firebase Github, but they are not telling what to do with analytics if user rejects the dialog... https://github.com/firebase/firebase-ios-sdk/issues/5928

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  • As far as I know if you don't have the IDFA then you don't have the capability to *link the user or device data from your app with data from other apps or websites* - it is the linking that is the key word. You can't link without a common identifier. As for "sharing with data brokers" I don't believe that firebase analytics is a data broker; they don't sell user data to others. Indeed, the analytics you collect are defined by you, so how could Google know what "viewed screen x" or "tapped button y" even means in order to sell it as meaningful user actions. – Paulw11 Apr 28 '21 at 10:41
  • If you specifically collect user actions like "view frying pan product" and share that with a data broker so that the user can somehow be targeted for cookware advertising outside your app that would be tracking – Paulw11 Apr 28 '21 at 10:43
  • so, @Paulw11 is there anny official response about if we can init firebase if the user has declined ATT dialog? – NullPointerException Apr 28 '21 at 11:16

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