Financial info, contact info, identifiers, usage data and diagnostics.
Yes. Barclays UK's developer declares financial info, contact info, identifiers, usage data and diagnostics as data used to track you — data that can be combined with other companies' data for targeted ads or ad measurement, or shared with data brokers. On iPhone you can refuse: tap Ask App Not to Track, or switch off tracking requests for every app in Settings.
What “tracking” means on an iPhone
Apple defines tracking as linking data from this app with data from other companies' apps, websites or offline sources for targeted advertising or ad measurement, or sharing it with a data broker. It is narrower than “collecting data”: an app can collect a lot without tracking you, and a small app can track you with a single advertising SDK.
Since iOS 14.5, App Tracking Transparency requires every app to ask before it accesses your device's advertising identifier or otherwise tracks you. The App Store label is where the developer declares which of its data is used that way. Barclays UK declares 5 data types, so expect the “Allow Barclays UK to track your activity across other companies' apps and websites?” prompt.
The data Barclays UK uses to track you
Financial Info
Card numbers, bank details, credit scores, salary, income, assets or debts. Financial data is high-value to criminals and is often regulated. Expect it in banking and budgeting apps; question it elsewhere.
Contact Info
Your name, email address, phone number or postal address. Contact details identify you directly and are what marketing lists and account recovery rely on.
Identifiers
An account ID, screen name, customer number or a device-level ID such as the advertising identifier. Identifiers let a service recognise the same person or phone across sessions. Combined with other data, they are what makes cross-app tracking possible.
Usage Data
What you tap, open and view inside the app, plus which ads you have seen. Product analytics show developers which features are used. The same records can also feed advertising when an app declares tracking.
Diagnostics
Crash logs, launch times, hang rates and energy use. Diagnostics help fix bugs. They are usually low-risk on their own, but can be linked to an account if the label says so.
How to stop Barclays UK from tracking you
- When Barclays UK shows the tracking prompt, tap Ask App Not to Track.
- Already said yes? Open Settings › Privacy & Security › Tracking and switch off the toggle next to Barclays UK.
- To refuse every app in one go, switch off Allow Apps to Request to Track on the same screen. Apps then cannot ask, and are treated as if you declined.
- For Apple's own ads in the App Store, News and Stocks, see Settings › Privacy & Security › Apple Advertising and turn off Personalised Ads.
- Inside Barclays UK, look for an analytics or personalised-ads switch in its own settings; it covers data the iOS switch does not.
Barclays UK's full privacy label
Do other banking apps track you?
17% of the 196 banking apps with a label in our snapshot declare tracking; 3% say they collect nothing at all. Nearby in the list:
| App | Tracks you? | Data types |
|---|---|---|
| Santander Mobile Banking | No | 5 |
| M&T Mobile Banking | No | 3 |
| UBA Mobile Banking | No | 7 |
| FPCU Mobile Banking | No | 8 |
| UBL Digital | No | 4 |
| ABA Mobile Bank | No | 0 |
| HomeTown Bank Mobile | No | 7 |
| AllSouth Mobile Banking | No | 7 |
Check your settings
Done. You have applied every control the label points to.
True or false?
- Right.Not quite.
True: it lists financial info, contact info, identifiers, usage data and diagnostics under Data Used to Track You.
- Right.Not quite.
Labels are self-reported by developers. Apple can reject or remove apps that misrepresent practices, but it does not audit each label.
- Right.Not quite.
True: Financial Info appears on its label.
- Right.Not quite.
It is collected and sent; the developer says it is de-identified rather than tied to your account or device.
FAQ
How do I stop Barclays UK from tracking me?
Will Barclays UK still work if I decline tracking?
What is the difference between tracking and data linked to me?
Does declining tracking stop all data collection?
Can apps track me without asking?
Is Barclays UK safe? Full privacy report →How to lock Barclays UK on iPhone →Who tracks you? A–Z →All finance apps →