Marvel's latest hit show What If...? has confirmed once and for all exactly why The Avengers really are the most powerful heroes in the MCU. Ironically, this elevated status doesn't necessarily come from extraordinary abilities or physical prowess – although those, clearly, are also in ready supply. Instead, the supergroup's definitive ranking is actually down to something much more intangible that ultimately causes their opponents to underestimate them time and time again.Throughout the MCU, Earth's mightiest heroes have developed a happy habit of overcoming overwhelming odds in almost impossible circumstances. Whether it's repelling an invading Chitauri army as a team during the events of the very first Avengers film, or acting alone during their various solo projects, the six original superheroes have, without a doubt, an impressive track record. Ultimately, as seen during the climax of the Infinity Saga, the crew is even capable of defeating an intergalactic titan capable of wiping out half of existence. atOptions = { 'key' : '05a47ba863f62ec113e14b51b976d14a', 'format' : 'iframe', 'height' : 250, 'width' : 300, 'params' : {} }; document.write(''); Given the long list of enemies who have fallen foul of The Avengers, their reputation is clearly well-earned. However, for all their firepower, What If...? makes it clear that the real key to The Avengers success actually lies in their humanity. As Jeffrey Wright's omniscient Watcher explains while watching Clint Barton and Natasha Romanov search for the key to defeating Ultron, "You’re human you keep hope against the best of odds." This highlights a consistent theme running throughout the MCU – that it is the optimism, determination and refusal to be beaten that defines humanity that ultimately makes The Avengers such a dangerous prospect for Earth's would-be conquerors.This argument is evident as far back as Phase 1 of the MCU, and is most obviously on display during the first Avengers movie. For example, Tony Stark's iconic "you can be damn sure we'll avenge it" quip to Loki is far more than a call-back to the movie's title – it also highlights his indomitable spirit, flying in the face of Loki's belief that humans are "made to be ruled". Similarly, one of the movie's most powerful moments comes when an old man stands up to Loki in the face of imminent destruction. This serves as a reminder that, even without any superpowers, humanity is capable of extraordinary bravery. It is this quality that ultimately makes The Avengers capable of their most extraordinary feats.In many ways, the plot of What If...? episode 8 really emphasizes the point that humanity is the greatest power in the MCU. It is extremely telling that, in the aftermath of Ultron's assault, it is Barton and Romanov – on paper the team's most under-powered human characters – that are the last two left standing. It is their human spirit, shared with the likes of Stark, Steve Rogers and Bruce Banner that allows them to unlock the key to saving the universe. Although the MCU is inhabited with innumerable fantastically powered superbeings, time and time again it is those who have a close connection to humanity who emerge victorious.

The clothing brand Vans has dropped a new collection of horror themed apparel involving The Shining, Friday the 13th and more. Just in time for Halloween, the Vans x Horror collection allows a variety of big screen icons to be available on a range of Vans products. Vans, known for their classic streetwear look, has embraced pop culture many times in the past through collaborating with behemoths of film, TV and video games. Before these monsters, franchises like Star Wars, Harry Potter and The Simpsons have been given the Vans treatment.It has been a while since some of these characters were seen on the screen. The A Nightmare on Elm Street franchise hasn't recovered from its failed 2010 reboot, and the rights to Friday the 13th have been, until recently, tied up in a series of lawsuits. Stanley Kubrick's The Shining has managed to stand the test of time and Doctor Sleep, the long awaited sequel directed by Mike Flanagan, has kept the horrors of the Overlook Hotel in the zeitgeist. Younger audiences may be more drawn to Pennywise than the other villains, with both films in the recent adaptation of Stephen King's It being smash hits at the box office. atOptions = { 'key' : '05a47ba863f62ec113e14b51b976d14a', 'format' : 'iframe', 'height' : 250, 'width' : 300, 'params' : {} }; document.write(''); The collection is available to purchase on the Vans website and includes an array of clothing, from socks and shoes to hats and hoodies. All the films that inspired the collection, which includes the previously mentioned franchises and also The Lost Boys and The Exorcist, were given their own shoe designs as well as other unique clothing items. The new release combines Vans' classic designs with images inspired by some of cinemas greatest horror movies. Check out a sampling of the Vans x Horror collection, below: atOptions = { 'key' : '05a47ba863f62ec113e14b51b976d14a', 'format' : 'iframe', 'height' : 250, 'width' : 300, 'params' : {} }; document.write(''); As was the case with Vans' other pop culture collaborations, this collection is only on a limited release and will not last forever. Some of the designs include hi-top shoes with "REDRUM" written on the midsoles, a white t-shirt with Pennywise's evil grin printed on it, and a black hoodie with Jason Vorrhees' famous hockey mask emblazoned on the front. Horror heads are likely to go mad for these fresh looks. Fans who want to be seen in shoes that are designed after Freddy Krueger's famous striped sweatshirt will have to act fast.Vans' past pop culture releases have all proven to be wildly successful, and horror fans are often among the most loyal (going by the longevity of some of these series) so this feels like a match made in heaven. These designs by Vans could become an annual uniform for spooky season, or just an everyday fit for gore fans. The launch of this range may also help some of these waning franchises recapture the attention of audiences, and with Jason Blum rebooting The Exorcist, the timing feels right.Source: Vans atOptions = { 'key' : '05a47ba863f62ec113e14b51b976d14a', 'format' : 'iframe', 'height' : 250, 'width' : 300, 'params' : {} }; document.write('');

Warning: Contains SPOILERS for Venom: Let There Be Carnage.The post-credits scene in Venom: Let There Be Carnage reveals a huge twist by transporting Eddie and Venom to the MCU, but how exactly do they get there? One minute, the two are relaxing after defeating Carnage and talking about the boundless knowledge Venom has access to through the symbiote hivemind. The next, the room trembles and changes, and the TV shows the unmistakable face of Tom Holl atOptions = { 'key' : '05a47ba863f62ec113e14b51b976d14a', 'format' : 'iframe', 'height' : 250, 'width' : 300, 'params' : {} }; document.write(''); and’s Spider-Man. Previously, it was believed that the Venom films took place in a different canon than the MCU. The Spider-Man movie rights are complicated and can be a bit confusing, but the gist is that Sony still holds the rights to the character and allows him to feature in the MCU through separate deal with Marvel. Sony is currently in the process of setting up its own cinematic universe of Spider-Man characters, which will include Morbius, Kraven the Hunter, and the Venom films.  Now, it looks like Holland’s Spider-Man could be a part of that universe as well.So, how do Eddie and Venom get from reality to the MCU? The Venom 2 post-credits scene intentionally keeps things mysterious, but the teleportation almost certainly is tied to the MCU multiverse, which has become the focal point of the story in Phase 4. The leading theory is that Eddie and Venom are brought to the MCU by the multiverse shenanigans caused by Doctor Strange's spell in Spider-Man: No Way Home. It's a fair guess seeing as how their jump to the MCU was accompanied by a singular blinding flash of light, which is the same thing that happened in the No Way Home trailer at the moment Strange cast the spell and it went awry. Another possibility is that Venom’s accessing of the symbiote hivemind through Eddie caused something to malfunction in some way. Considering how hard the characters of MCU's Phase 4 have been tampering with the multiverse, it's even possible that it was an entirely different multiverse event that brought Eddie and Venom to the MCU. atOptions = { 'key' : '05a47ba863f62ec113e14b51b976d14a', 'format' : 'iframe', 'height' : 250, 'width' : 300, 'params' : {} }; document.write(''); Since other major characters from past Sony Spider-Man films like Alfred Molina’s Doctor Octopus and Jamie Foxx’s Electro are returning in No Way Home, it wouldn’t be out of place for Hardy’s Venom to show up as well. There’s been no confirmation yet that he’ll be in the upcoming Spider-Man movie, but because both franchises are produced by Sony Pictures, it seems most likely that Eddie’s arrival in the MCU is tied to the multiversal chaos in No Way Home.Of course, there are still a number of things that haven’t been revealed about the MCU multiverse, any one of which could be to blame for Venom’s sudden change of reality. A powerful Scarlet Witch was messing with the Darkhold in WandaVision; Sylvie broke the timeline wide open in Loki; even Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings touched upon alternate dimensions. The Venom 2 post-credits scene may simply be setting up a Tom Holland Peter Parker cameo in Sony’s universe rather than a Venom debut in No Way Home. Either way, the ending of Venom: Let There Be Carnage sets up a lot of exciting possibilities for the character’s future. atOptions = { 'key' : '05a47ba863f62ec113e14b51b976d14a', 'format' : 'iframe', 'height' : 250, 'width' : 300, 'params' : {} }; document.write('');

Ninjas are cool, as are tabletop roleplaying games; therefore, tabletop RPGs with ninjas in them must be extra cool! But what is a ninja, exactly, and what makes them such a staple of pop culture? The following RPG systems, each with their own stylized take on Ninjas somewhere on the spectrum between Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, try to answer this question.Ask most people born in the 20th century what a ninja is, and they'll generally think of a stealthy assassin dark clothes and a hooded cowl, wielding exotic weapons such as throwing stars, sickles, and Sai daggers. Ask people who grew up during the 2000s or 2010s, and they may cite the Ninja Gaiden series or the Lego Ninjago franchises, media about warriors who wield magical "Ninjutsu" techniques and exotic martial arts. Ask a historian about Ninjas, and they might mention the "Shinobi" mercenary underclass that emerged in 12th century Japan, who hired themselves out as spies and assassins to warlords, wielded weapons inspired by agricultural tools, and would frequently disguise themselves as menial servants to close in on their targets. atOptions = { 'key' : '05a47ba863f62ec113e14b51b976d14a', 'format' : 'iframe', 'height' : 250, 'width' : 300, 'params' : {} }; document.write(''); Many of the roleplaying games listed below were written by people who did their research about actual historical ninjas, then decided to wholeheartedly embrace the stylized, pop-culture conception of ninjas, "Shadow Clones" and all. Some of these ninja RPGs take place in historical fantasy settings similar to the times actual ninjas existed in (as with Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice's setting and NPCs), while others have ninjas leaping across the rooftops of modern day metropolises; each, regardless, are about roleplaying ninjas in stylish, stealthy ways.The 2nd edition of The Ninja Crusade, available on Drivethru RPG.com and set in a fantasy version of medieval Japan, are about heroic ninjas from the Lotus Coalition, fighting a war of resistance against the militant forces of the Izou Empire. Players create characters aligned with one of the ten clans of the Lotus Coalition, each specializing in certain skills and embodying different archetypes of ninja. The wandering adventures PCs go on in The Ninja Crusade draw heavy inspiration from the Ninja Scroll anime, along with more modern works such as the Naruto franchise.Legend of the Five Rings started out as a collective card game franchise with a rich meta-plot, then expanded into tabletop roleplaying. The latest edition of the Legend of the Five Rings Roleplaying Game can be used to tell stories about noble samurai and magic-users fending off the dark entities of the Shadowlands, or political plots with scheming courtiers and genius generals. If players choose to create characters who hail from the mask-wearing, ninja-patronizing Scorpion Clan, they can also immerse themselves in tales of stealth, infiltration, lies, and assassination – dishonorable deeds committed for the greater good of Rokugan.Shinonbigami, an RPG translated from Japanese after a successful Kickstarter, is set in modern day Japan and is centered around a shadow war between the members of rival ninja clans - who also have day jobs, families, schoolwork, and other everyday concerns. The gameplay cycle of a Shinobigami session is broken into four parts. In the first three "Cycles," each ninja player character takes a turn in the narrative spotlight to pursue their secret goals, learn the secrets of other characters, and develop their relationships. The final part, a "Climax Phase," is a free-for-all battle between players and groups of players where secrets are revealed, relationships are pushed to the breaking point, and spectacular ninja arts are employed.Ninja Burger is a low-prep RPG about ninjas. Who work in the fast-food industry. Set in a world that's a madcap blend of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, The Adventures of Dr. McNinja, and the "Deliverator" scene from the cyberpunk novel Snow Crash, the goal of players in a Ninja Burger session is to use the stylized ninja skills of their PCs to deliver meals to customers (undetected) within 30 minutes or less. No matter what. Obstacles standing in the path of Ninja Burger PCs can range from mutant sewer dwellers and hostile ninjas to rival fast food franchises such as Pirate Pizza, making this a tabletop RPG with ninjas that can provide as much amusement as adventure. atOptions = { 'key' : '05a47ba863f62ec113e14b51b976d14a', 'format' : 'iframe', 'height' : 250, 'width' : 300, 'params' : {} }; document.write(''); Sources: Drivethru RPG, Kickstarter

An artist has recently created 35 different colorful icons of villains in the Final Fantasy series. With 15 mainline entries and numerous spinoffs, the series has presented many antagonists throughout the years, and some fans do their best to recreate their favorites with fan art. Final Fantasy is known for its games featuring rag-tag casts of heroes facing off against powerful villains who threaten the fabric of existence in their worlds.This comes on the heels of the Tokyo Game Show, where publisher Square Enix has announced new games and provided updates on upcoming releases in a stream. New information on Final Fantasy 16, the next mainline game, is sparse, but the company did reveal a new trailer revealing Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin's release date. This title is an action-RPG spinoff co-developed atOptions = { 'key' : '05a47ba863f62ec113e14b51b976d14a', 'format' : 'iframe', 'height' : 250, 'width' : 300, 'params' : {} }; document.write('');  by Team Ninja, known for its work on the Nioh franchise. Related: FF7 The First Soldier Gameplay Shows How Classes & Chocobos Will WorkOn Reddit, user Old-Biscotti647 posted fanart with colorful depictions of 35 different Final Fantasy villains. This picture includes many of the main villains for each game in the series, from FF 1's Garland up to FF 15's Ardyn Izunia. The art covers the highest number of villains from entries 7 and 9, and when a Reddit user asked about it, the artist mentioned that those are among their favorites, 9 in particular. When also asked about missing villains, such as FF 12's Vayne Solidor or FF 6's Emperor Gestahl, the artist assured that those characters will be joining the roster soon. The artist also creates fanart for movies, TV shows, and other games, demonstrating them in the Instagram account platesandoatcakes. Recent games the artist has covered are Borderlands, Overwatch, and Deltarune.Sharing fan art is a popular activity for many gamers. Recently, the Mega Man Zero artist created Metroid fanart in his signature style to celebrate the upcoming launch of Metroid: Dread. Many talented artists from all spectrums of fields like to share their love for their favorite games, movies, and television shows, and they often garner praise. It's especially interesting to see artists present characters or scenes from different games in their own unique style, which gives the art a different flair.Whether it's official art, concept art, or fan art, people love to enjoy these works as they celebrate their favorite series. And Final Fantasy is no stranger to fan art since its first release in 1987. The series is also known for having crossover bosses, such as Final Fantasy V's Gilgamesh appearing across the series, as well as reoccurring summons. In the meantime, there's a lot to be excited about in the near future for Final Fantasy, and fans can bide their time by checking out art like this from talented creators. atOptions = { 'key' : '05a47ba863f62ec113e14b51b976d14a', 'format' : 'iframe', 'height' : 250, 'width' : 300, 'params' : {} }; document.write(''); Sources: Old-Biscotti647/Reddit, platesandoatcakes/Instagram

Phantasm is one of the strangest horror franchises ever, but tying it together is The Tall Man, a towering villain who's taken multiple forms. The Phantasm movies have often been likened to nightmares captured on film, especially the 1979 original, with the kind of bizarre twists, unexpected surprises, and lack of conventional logic that often make up dreams. The Tall Man himself is certainly a nightmarish figure, and in an odd circumstance for an initially mysterious horror villain, the additional background information revealed about him in the sequels doesn't really make him any less scary.Played to widespread acclaim by late genre mainstay Angus Scrimm, The Tall Man is, to make a long story shorter, a being far beyond normal humans, despite his human appearance. The Tall Man is strong enough to lift a full casket without help, commands an army of brain-destroying flying metal spheres, and takes dead bodies to another dimension, where he transforms them into tiny servant creatures resembling Jawas from Star Wars. He's also, perhaps most importantly, nearly impossible to damage, much less kill.Related: Why Phantasm 2 Recast The Main Character (& Part 3 Changed Him Back)As if all those features weren't enough to make Phantasm's Tall Man a formidable adversary, he's also able to make use of a trait common to many of the best horror villains: shape-shifting. The Tall Man can use this ability to lure victims in, as well as to further terrify them. Here's every other form, aside from his standard one, The Tall Man has taken over the course of Phantasm's five-movie run.One of the most memorable scenes in Phantasm sees Tommy - a friend of major characters Jody and Reggie - making the odd decision to get intimate with a blonde woman in a striking lavender dress while in the local cemetery. The pair have sex, but then the Lady in Lavender (Kathy Lester) kills him, before shifting back into The Tall Man. The Tall Man tries to pull the same trick on Jody - older brother to protagonist Mike - later, but things thankfully get interrupted. The Lady in Lavender does later sucker in ice cream man Reggie later, stabbing him to death.Or at least that's how it first appears, as it's later revealed that the whole movie was a dream Mike was having, following the actual real-life death of Jody in a car crash, and that Reggie was still alive. Or maybe it wasn't a dream, since The Tall Man then appears to kidnap Mike to end Phantasm. Phantasm 2 picked up from the latter scene, and was a bit easier to follow. The Lady in Lavender wouldn't appear again until Phantasm: Ravager, the long-delayed fifth movie, again played by Lester. Oddly, Ravager seems to imply she's a separate, albeit still connected, entity to The Tall Man, despite the previous shape-shifting being shown. Reggie kills her, but The Tall Man continues on.While Phantasm 2 is easier to follow than the original, it's still pretty confusing at times, although diehard fans wouldn't want their Phantasm movies any other way. During the sequel, Mike and Reggie are trailing The Tall Man's path of death across the country, eventually picking up a young female hitchhiker named Alchemy (Samantha Phillips). Mike immediately feels uneasy, as she resembles a strange nude apparition he had seen in a previous dream, but Reggie has no such qualms, almost succeeding in sleeping with her - although thankfully for him, it got interrupted.Related: Every Horror Movie Still To Come In 2021After Mike, Reggie, and their new companion Liz seemingly kill The Tall Man via embalming him alive, the trio is "rescued" by a hearse driven by Alchemy. Reggie is grateful, but Alchemy starts pulling her own scalp off, revealing that she's been evil the whole time. Reggie is attacked and thrown from the hearse, which then drives off. Mike thinks it's all a dream, but The Tall Man opens the divider between the front and back of the car, and assures him it's not. In an earlier version of Phantasm 2, the fact Alchemy was The Tall Man in disguise was made more explicit, as part of the transformation was shown onscreen, but it was cut due to effects issues.This inclusion is an odd one, but it's also one that fits perfectly in with the abject strangeness of the Phantasm franchise as a whole. Phantasm 3 picks up right where Phantasm 2 left off, with Reggie outside the hearse, and Mike and Liz still inside. The vehicle then crashes and explodes, but things are a bit hard to make sense of from there concerning The Tall Man.Mike survives the crash, while Liz dies, but Alchemy/The Tall Man is nowhere to be seen. Reggie runs over, collects Mike and tries to make a run for it, only for The Tall Man - now completely intact and without even a scratch - to march up from behind and try to get them. This Tall Man was shown emerging from an inter-dimensional portal earlier on in the opening scenes, with the embalming method having indeed killed the Tall Man that served as Phantasm 2's primary villain. This concept of more than one Tall Man existing was made even clearer later in the movie.Considering everything seen of The Tall Man in Phantasm 1-3, many no doubt justifiably assumed the creature was simply a monster or an alien, and was never a human being. That's not true though, as Phantasm 4: Oblivion revealed. The Tall Man was once a 19th-century mortician named Jebediah Morningside, and was by all evidence a perfectly nice, normal person. That was until his macabre job eventually led Morningside to become overly fascinated with death, and where people go afterward. He was able to make a portal capable of taking him to an unknown other world, but this ultimately proved a terrible decision.Related: Every Stephen King Book & Story That's Been His Favorite (& Why)Not long after Jebediah made his trip to the other side of the portal, he returned, but no longer as the man he once was, having been turned into The Tall Man. Or considering there's more than one Tall Man, it would seem he somehow became the original Tall Man template. Jebediah later appears in one of the realities shown in the perhaps most confusing of all Phantasm: Ravager, sharing a hospital room with Reggie long enough to have a conversation. Phantasm: Ravager ends on another ambiguous note, which makes sense for a Phantasm movie, but is also undeniably sad, since Scrimm's death effectively precludes a follow-up.More: The Phantasm Movie Franchise, Ranked Worst To Bestfrom ScreenRant - Feed https://ift.tt/3FdTJK4 https://ift.tt/3l2YL3Y

Tiffany Mitchell opened up about being named America's Favorite Player on Big Brother season 23. Tiffany won the coveted title after a seven-day period during which viewers could text the name of their favorite houseguest to cast their votes. The prize was doubled to $50,000 this year. With this win, Tiffany joins an elite group of Big Brother houseguests who won the respect and hearts of fans of the show. The award was introduced on Big Brother 7: All-Stars, and its first-ever recipient was Big Brother legend Janelle Pierzina. Janelle expressed her support for Tiffany on her Instagram this season, encouraging her fans to vote for her. Other notable winners include Keesha Smith (BB10), Britney Haynes (BB12), Elissa Slater (BB15), Victor Arroyo (BB18), Tyler Crispen (BB20), Da'Vonne Rogers (BB22) and Jeff Schroeder, who is the only houseguest to win the prize twice (BB11 and BB13).Tiffany proved herself to America by creating the strategy that helped the Cookout alliance to reach the Final 6 fully intact. Her idea was nicknamed "the master plan" and consisted of each member of the Big Brother Cookout having a plus-one with whom they would share a place on the chopping block as a pawn, thus disguising the Cookout and ensuring the votes to keep it safe. Fans of the show were in awe of Tiffany's masterful gameplay, praising her intelligence and physical prowess, and her commitment to the mission of the Cookout to crown Big Brother's first Black winner. atOptions = { 'key' : '05a47ba863f62ec113e14b51b976d14a', 'format' : 'iframe', 'height' : 250, 'width' : 300, 'params' : {} }; document.write(''); In an interview with Parade, Tiffany discussed her win. Before revealing the result, host Julie Chen Moonves said that it was a close vote between Tiffany and fellow fan favorite Derek Xiao. Even Tiffany was surprised when she won against him because she knew how much America loves him, and she loves him too. She added, "When Julie said it was between Derek and myself, I was definitely thinking, 'Come on, America, I need the money!' I did not think that I would beat out Derek because who doesn’t love him? But the fact that America loves me, I am so appreciative of that because I talked to America every single day. America was the only person I was loyal to." Tiffany often spoke directly to the live feed cameras, explaining her gameplay and figuring out her next move. She gained the respect and admiration of fans, including Big Brother legends like Janelle Pierzina, who campaigned for Tiffany on Twitter.When she was informed that several Twitter users had changed their usernames to "Text TIFFANY to 97979," Tiffany exclaimed, "Get out of here!" still in awe of her win. When told that America felt she should be rewarded for her contribution to the Cookout, Tiffany again expressed her gratitude, saying, "Wow, that means so much to me. I really did feel accomplished making a contribution to the Cookout. The contribution that I made was really just a gift that was passed through me that I shared. And I’m so glad that we all welcomed the master plan. It feels great to be acknowledged in that way for what my contribution was." Once Tiffany became a member of the jury, America clearly felt that she deserved some accolades and some prize money. Her loyalty to her alliance and her plan to get them to the end of the game helped her to earn the respect of fans of the show. Her willingness to share the credit for the success of the Cookout with the rest of atOptions = { 'key' : '05a47ba863f62ec113e14b51b976d14a', 'format' : 'iframe', 'height' : 250, 'width' : 300, 'params' : {} }; document.write(''); the alliance shows that she is a humble and grateful player. Tiffany Mitchell participated in a season that will go down in Big Brother history for finally crowning its first Black winner. However, Big Brother season 23 will also be remembered for Tiffany's iconic "master plan." Perhaps one day, fans will see Tiffany back for an All Stars season, teaming up with her fellow America's Favorite Player legendary winners.Source: Parade atOptions = { 'key' : '05a47ba863f62ec113e14b51b976d14a', 'format' : 'iframe', 'height' : 250, 'width' : 300, 'params' : {} }; document.write('');

Apple called its App Tracking Transparency framework one of the most impactful moves towards creating a more private ecosystem, but recent independent research shows that it is not really effective against third-party trackers and doesn’t block the transfer of personal or device data either. The core premise of the ATT framework was to offer users more transparency about their data, such as which apps collect information, what data they extract, and how it is shared. More importantly, each app was mandated to ask users explicitly about tracking via a pop-up notification.Of course, the likes of Facebook, whose coffers are generously filled by its massive advertising business, wasn’t too happy about the change and resorted to an industry-wide lobbying campaign. However, Apple remained adamant that it wants to give users a choice whether they want an app to show them personalized ads by tracking their activity across the web and apps. Following a fierce backlash and claims of Apple not implementing the rules on its own apps, the company temporarily delayed the ATT implementation for months and eventually enabled it with the iOS 14.5 release. However, the whole system might not be as effective as Apple claims. atOptions = { 'key' : '05a47ba863f62ec113e14b51b976d14a', 'format' : 'iframe', 'height' : 250, 'width' : 300, 'params' : {} }; document.write(''); In a study conducted by Lockdown Privacy — whose members are said to be ex-Apple engineers — App Tracking Transparency didn’t create any difference when it comes to disabling third-party trackers associated with an app and is minimally effective at blocking connection requests. As part of the research, the team selected ten top ranked apps on the App Store and monitored third-party tracking for each one under two scenarios — ATT enabled and ATT disabled. Apps like Grubhub, DoorDash and Peacock TV were found to have roughly the same number of active third-party trackers even when users enabled ATT. Another study earlier this year in June also arrived at a similar conclusion about the inefficacy of the ATT system.The Yelp app was found to have allowed at least six active trackers even with ATT enabled using the “Ask App Not To Track” prompt. Interestingly, the same six trackers were observed when ATT was disabled. Likewise, 39 tracking attempts were recorded, which is only marginally lower than the 42 attempts when ATT was disabled. Lockdown Privacy concluded that enabling or disabling ATT didn’t make any difference for the 50 trackers they observed while running the selected pool of apps. When it came to tracking attempts, enabling ATT only reduced the number by a mere 13-percent. atOptions = { 'key' : '05a47ba863f62ec113e14b51b976d14a', 'format' : 'iframe', 'height' : 250, 'width' : 300, 'params' : {} }; document.write(''); In terms of the kind of data that the apps were able to share with third parties, everything from time zone, carrier name, iOS version, and iPhone model to more sensitive details such as the user's first and last name, location with exact latitude and longitude, free storage on device, battery and volume levels, as well as accessibility setting details were included. Lockdown Privacy mentions that in all test scenarios, the IP address of users was exposed as well. Contrary to what Apple claims, there was no automatic blocking of tracking requests either. Even if users denied an app’s request for tracking their activity, a majority of the test apps did not seem to honor that choice at all.The study is a sign that Apple may need to implement a more stringent vetting process to ensure that apps do not avoid the ATT norms and violate user privacy despite an explicit denial for tracking. If it continues the same way, Apple might not be too far from another lawsuit over privacy concerns, misleading advertising, and/or more regulatory scrutiny. atOptions = { 'key' : '05a47ba863f62ec113e14b51b976d14a', 'format' : 'iframe', 'height' : 250, 'width' : 300, 'params' : {} }; document.write('');