Following the release of iOS 14.5 and App Tracking Transparency, Apple has now issued guidelines clarifying that apps cannot offer incentives to users to enable app tracking.

Apple has updated its Human Interface Guidelines with a new section titled “Accessing User Data.” The company highlights all the design policies that apps must follow when tracking users across apps and websites. The new guidelines also bar apps from deceiving users into pressing the “Allow” button for tracking them across apps and services by using a pop-up with a UI similar to the default system pop-up.

Apple is only allowing developers to customize the text of the app tracking pop-up. It also prevents them from using any visual cue to draw the user’s attention to the Allow button. It also bars developers from offering users monetary benefits in lieu of tracking them.

Don’t offer incentives for granting the request. You can’t offer people compensation for granting their permission, and you can’t withhold functionality or content or make your app unusable until people allow you to track them.

Don’t display a custom message that mirrors the functionality of the system alert. In particular, don’t create a button title that uses “Allow” or similar terms, because people don’t allow anything in a pre-alert screen.

Don’t show an image of the standard alert and modify it in any way.

Don’t draw a visual cue that draws people’s attention to the system alert’s Allow button.

App developers can show a splash screen before the app tracking pop-up to explain to users why they want to track them. However, Apple warns developers not to use terms like “Allow” that might “make people think they’re granting their permission or performing other actions within your custom screen.”

Apple has made it abundantly clear that it will remove all apps from the App Store that try to bypass App Tracking Transparency or violate the App Store guidelines. With the new rules, the company is again making it clear that developers should not use cheap tricks to get people to tap the “Allow” button for tracking them across apps.

If you are unclear what App Tracking Transparency is, read our explainer on what App Tracking Transparency in iOS 14.5 is and how it will protect your privacy.

iOS 14.5 comes with plenty of other new features as well. Make sure to read about all the new iOS 14.5 features here.