WebProNews

Tag: Privacy Sandbox

  • Google Moves Back Its Execution Date for Third-Party Cookies to 2024

    Google Moves Back Its Execution Date for Third-Party Cookies to 2024

    Google has announced it will not stop supporting third-party cookies in Chrome until at least 2024 amid pushback over its proposals.

    Google has been working to eliminate third-party cookies and has been pushing Privacy Sandbox, touting it as a privacy-respecting alternative. Needless to say, not everyone is convinced, with the new protocol receiving plenty of pushback. In particular, because of Google’s dominance in search and the browser market, some are concerned about Google’s hand in developing something as critical as an ad tech to replace cookies.

    The company appears to be listening to some of the concerns.

    “The most consistent feedback we’ve received is the need for more time to evaluate and test the new Privacy Sandbox technologies before deprecating third-party cookies in Chrome,” writes Anthony Chavez, VP, Privacy Sandbox. “This feedback aligns with our commitment to the CMA to ensure that the Privacy Sandbox provides effective, privacy-preserving technologies and the industry has sufficient time to adopt these new solutions. This deliberate approach to transitioning from third-party cookies ensures that the web can continue to thrive, without relying on cross-site tracking identifiers or covert techniques like fingerprinting.”

    As a result, Google will not phase out third-party cookies until at least 2024.

    “By Q3 2023, we expect the Privacy Sandbox APIs to be launched and generally available in Chrome,” Chavez continues. “As developers adopt these APIs, we now intend to begin phasing out third-party cookies in Chrome in the second half of 2024. As always, you can find up-to-date timelines and milestones on the Privacy Sandbox website.”

  • Google Wants a More Private Web, Will Not Build ‘Alternate Identifiers’ to Replace Cookies

    Google Wants a More Private Web, Will Not Build ‘Alternate Identifiers’ to Replace Cookies

    Google has announced it has no intention to build or use “alternate identifiers” as a replacement to cookies for tracking individuals.

    Google stunned the industry when it announced it would remove support for third-party cookies in Chrome, which currently has roughly 70% of the web browser market. While useful for providing site functionality, cookies are often used to track individuals across websites and build a startlingly complete picture of a person’s interests and browsing habits.

    Some had thought Google might develop alternative identifier solutions to replace cookies, but the company has firmly shot that idea down. David Temkin, Director of Product Management, Ads Privacy and Trust, outlined the company’s plans in a blog post:

    That’s why last year Chrome announced its intent to remove support for third-party cookies, and why we’ve been working with the broader industry on the Privacy Sandbox to build innovations that protect anonymity while still delivering results for advertisers and publishers. Even so, we continue to get questions about whether Google will join others in the ad tech industry who plan to replace third-party cookies with alternative user-level identifiers. Today, we’re making explicit that once third-party cookies are phased out, we will not build alternate identifiers to track individuals as they browse across the web, nor will we use them in our products.

    Temkin reiterated the company’s commitment to its Federated Learning of Cohorts (FLoC) API. FLoC is designed to hide an individual in the crowd, essentially providing privacy through obscurity. Some are not convinced, however, with the EFF labeling FLoC “a terrible idea.”

    Still, given Google’s history of ignoring and abusing individuals’ privacy, a history that has resulted in lawsuits, its refreshing to see the company take at least some stand for privacy.

    Keeping the internet open and accessible for everyone requires all of us to do more to protect privacy — and that means an end to not only third-party cookies, but also any technology used for tracking individual people as they browse the web. We remain committed to preserving a vibrant and open ecosystem where people can access a broad range of ad-supported content with confidence that their privacy and choices are respected. We look forward to working with others in the industry on the path forward.

  • Google Restricting Cookies In Chrome To Improve Privacy

    Google Restricting Cookies In Chrome To Improve Privacy

    The days of cookies may be coming to an end as Google announces its plans to phase out third-party cookies within two years.

    The first indications of Google’s plans came in August when the company announced a new initiative called Privacy Sandbox. The initiative was founded in an effort to keep publishers from abusing technologies to track users. Specifically, many web publishers have found ways to work around blanket efforts to block third-party cookies with even more invasive types of tracking, such as fingerprinting. As Google describes:

    “With fingerprinting, developers have found ways to use tiny bits of information that vary between users, such as what device they have or what fonts they have installed to generate a unique identifier which can then be used to match a user across websites. Unlike cookies, users cannot clear their fingerprint, and therefore cannot control how their information is collected.”

    With today’s announcement, Google is looking for a more nuanced approach, one that addresses the needs of advertisers to make money in a way that does not abuse privacy. The company has been receiving feedback from W3C forums and other standards participants, feedback that indicates it is on the right track. Bolstered by this feedback, Google has committed to a timeline for its plans.

    “Once these approaches have addressed the needs of users, publishers, and advertisers, and we have developed the tools to mitigate workarounds, we plan to phase out support for third-party cookies in Chrome. Our intention is to do this within two years.”

    Google also plans to address other privacy issues, such as cross-site tracking and fingerprinting. The company has been under increasing scrutiny for Chrome’s privacy, or lack thereof. In June 2019, The Washington Post went so far as to label the browser “spy software,” and blamed it on Google’s position as both a browser maker and the single biggest cookie generator on the web. Relying on the search giant to protect user privacy is akin to relying on the fox to guard the henhouse.

    Hopefully Privacy Sandbox and Google’s commitment to phase out third-party cookies are a step in the right direction.