Twitter tracks users’ apps for ad targeting

Twitter has begun collecting information about apps installed on individual users’ devices as a way to improve its advertising and content targeting. By default, the social network’s tracking is switched on to collect data on the mobile apps that its users have downloaded, but users can opt out of having the information collected at any time.

In a statement issued on Twitter’s help centre, Twitter will be using the information collected to build a more tailored experience on Twitter, including:

• Improved ‘who to follow’ suggestions that share similar interests.
• Adding Tweets, accounts, or other content to your timeline that Twitter thinks you will find interesting.
• Showing you more relevant promoted content.

Twitter is currently only collecting the list of applications that an individual has installed, and will not be collecting any data within the applications.