Cannot remove App Privacy after removing AdMob and tracking

Question

Created May ’21

Replies 36

Boosts 6

Views 31k

Participants 42

I wanted to remove AdMob from my iOS app, so I remove all traces of AdMob, and make sure that info.plist does not have NSUserTrackingUsageDescription, no external framework used, and no traces of NSUserTrackingUsageDescription in my codes (global search in Xcode not found).

However, previous version has setup App Privacy in AppStore Connect.

Uploading a new build I can remove all entries in App Privacy except for one (?): Data Types - 1 data type collected from this app: Product Interaction

And I cannot remove this one: when selecting not collecting info, I got this error message:

Code Block Your app contains NSUserTrackingUsageDescription, indicating that you will request permission to track users. You must indicate which data types are tracking users. If this is incorrect, update your app binary and upload a new build to App Store Connect.

What shall I do? And what is this Product Interaction tracking? (The rest can all be reset to not tracking except this one.)

Boost

Answer 1

LionReal OP

Aug ’24

I have the same issue.And the application does not pass Revision, when I look at the form, the same problem has been going on for 9 months, the application is still rejected.I guess no one looks at the form, except for one answer, there is no official answer either

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Answer 2

khlebobul OP

Dec ’24

I have read all the responses on this, thought my process would take a long time. I was finally able to resolve this issue.

I published an update where I removed all the ads and NSUserTrackingUsageDescription. I also removed all mention of it in my code.
Uploaded a new version which successfully passed moderation.
Only then did I update the App Privacy. A miracle happened, my app no longer contains ads and everything displays correctly.

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Answer 3

wares0ft OP

Jan ’25

+1 in 2025

1

Answer 4

jakemor OP

1w

Still an issue in 2025

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Answer 5

joep_cp OP

1w

We are currently in the process of removing AdMob / tracking from all of our Apps. Running into this issue has been ASTONDING and frustrating. It is February, 2025.

All apps are initially rejected.
One was approved within a hour of posting a simple 'comment' on the rejection.
One app went back and forth with comments/rejections (same comment and explainations)
One app was approved after submitting an appeal - weeks later, I might add.

Finally, we still have an app that is in endless limbo. Referencing the other apps is to no avail. I wish Apple provided a supported way to update App Store Connect settings in conjunction with submissions (like Android/Google PlayStore does).

Is there a supported or recommended solution? I cannot find one and my experience is more or less random.

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Answer 6

joep_cp OP

1w

Credit to user 'khlebobul' - solution details

Update the App to remove ads, remove NSUserTrackingUsageDescription.
Leave the code to call ATTrackingManager.requestTrackingAuthorization(...) in-place

Note: As far as I can tell, no message appears to be displayed to the user. Likely because the required plist value NSUserTrackingUsageDescription does not exist. Ignore any result.

This will get approved!
Now, you can change the App Store Connect data privacy settings, and create a new version (without the useless call). Which will also be approved.

We will be following this two-step method for the remainder of our apps.

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