How will iOS 14 impact Facebook ad business?

Facebook this week clarified how Apple’s new compulsory consent manager will affect Facebook ad business. Facebook apps (Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp) will stop collecting the IDFA in iOS 14. Facebook may discontinue Audience Network for iOS 14, and Facebook will require new ad accounts to run app install ads targeting iOS 14.

But there are more Facebook features impacted:

• In iOS 14 ad accounts, advertisers will not be able to create lookalike audiences from Mobile App Custom Audiences. Facebook says advertisers will be able to create new App lookalike audiences that are not based on specific Mobile App Custom Audiences, but rather on specific apps and app events. The new App lookalikes may only be shared among iOS 14 ad accounts.
• Facebook only allows one iOS 14 ad account per app, and 9 published/created campaigns at any given time. Campaigns can only have one ad set, but no limit on the number of ads. iOS 14 ad accounts are available only on Ads Manager(no support for Marketing API).
• Facebook Analytics for app events measurement will be impacted as well. Facebook says the iOS 14 launch will result in loss of conversion events.
• Facebook Attribution will no longer work, as Facebook will no longer be able to measure Mobile App Installs and other app events from iOS14 devices. Facebook says it will stop using impressions and clicks from 3rd party tags in iOS14 apps and for events where we they can’t determine where it comes from.
• Lift measurement will no longer be available for iOS 14. Facebook predicts that active studies running through September 14 are likely to see a reduction in Conversion Lift and other metrics due to the lack of iOS14 Mobile App Installs and other app events.
• A/B testing will still be possible, but only at campaign level for Mobile App Installs from iOS14 devices. A/B tests at the Ad Set level or breakdowns of results (e.g. age, gender) for iOS 14 app events will no longer be available.
• On reporting, Facebook will rely only on data received from Apple’s SKAdNetwork (SKAN) API, and it will not be able to provide 1D, 7D, or 28D click-through or view-through attribution window breakdowns. Breakdowns (age, gender, region, placement, etc.) for app install or post-install event metrics will also not be possible.
• Mobile measurement partners (MMP) will still get the data from Facebook via the Ad Insights API for all iOS14 mobile app install (MAI) campaigns.