How is Google developing new technologies to replace third-party cookies and how will they change the internet?
Google has announced that it has postponed plans to disable support for third-party cookies (files that are used by sites to remember settings and track user activity) in its Chrome browser until the second half of 2024. Previously, Google planned to do this in 2023, and initially-in 2022.
The reason for the delay was Google's desire to give developers, publishers and advertisers more time to adapt to new technologies that should ensure that users privacy is preserved when displaying relevant ads. Google also wants approval from regulators in various countries, including the UK, where the company entered into an agreement with the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) over its Privacy Sandbox project.
Privacy Sandbox is an initiative of Google, launched in 2019, which involves the development of alternative solutions for third-party cookies that do not violate the privacy of users. One of these solutions is FLoC (Federated Learning of Cohorts), which groups users by interests, rather than by individual IDs.
The problem with third-party cookies is that they allow you to track user activity on different sites, giving advertisers the ability to create user profiles and show them personalized ads. This raises concerns about violating the privacy and security of users. This is why some browsers, such as Firefox, Safari, Edge, and Brave, already block third-party cookies by default.
Google, which gets most of its revenue from advertising, says it wants to balance the interests of all parties - users, publishers, and advertisers. The company also fears that by disabling third-party cookies, advertisers may use more invasive tracking methods, such as browser fingerprinting, which collects various data about the user's browser and device to identify them.
"This deliberate approach to moving away from third-party cookies ensures that the web can continue to thrive without relying on cross - site tracking IDs or hidden methods," Anthony Chavez, Google's vice president of Privacy Sandbox, wrote in a blog post.
Google Chrome is the most popular browser in the world, with a market share of about 66%. Therefore, any changes in the browser can affect millions of users and many businesses around the world.
Over the past few months, Google has released several trial versions of the new Privacy Sandbox APIs in Chrome for developers to test, while working to refine its design proposals based on incoming data from developers, publishers, advertisers, and regulators through forums such as the W3C.
"Starting in early August, the Privacy Sandbox trials will expand to millions of users worldwide, and we will gradually increase the number of test participants over the rest of the year and into 2023," Chavez added. “Before users are added to the trials, they will be shown a message giving them the ability to manage their participation.
Google has announced that it has postponed plans to disable support for third-party cookies (files that are used by sites to remember settings and track user activity) in its Chrome browser until the second half of 2024. Previously, Google planned to do this in 2023, and initially-in 2022.
The reason for the delay was Google's desire to give developers, publishers and advertisers more time to adapt to new technologies that should ensure that users privacy is preserved when displaying relevant ads. Google also wants approval from regulators in various countries, including the UK, where the company entered into an agreement with the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) over its Privacy Sandbox project.
Privacy Sandbox is an initiative of Google, launched in 2019, which involves the development of alternative solutions for third-party cookies that do not violate the privacy of users. One of these solutions is FLoC (Federated Learning of Cohorts), which groups users by interests, rather than by individual IDs.
The problem with third-party cookies is that they allow you to track user activity on different sites, giving advertisers the ability to create user profiles and show them personalized ads. This raises concerns about violating the privacy and security of users. This is why some browsers, such as Firefox, Safari, Edge, and Brave, already block third-party cookies by default.
Google, which gets most of its revenue from advertising, says it wants to balance the interests of all parties - users, publishers, and advertisers. The company also fears that by disabling third-party cookies, advertisers may use more invasive tracking methods, such as browser fingerprinting, which collects various data about the user's browser and device to identify them.
"This deliberate approach to moving away from third-party cookies ensures that the web can continue to thrive without relying on cross - site tracking IDs or hidden methods," Anthony Chavez, Google's vice president of Privacy Sandbox, wrote in a blog post.
Google Chrome is the most popular browser in the world, with a market share of about 66%. Therefore, any changes in the browser can affect millions of users and many businesses around the world.
Over the past few months, Google has released several trial versions of the new Privacy Sandbox APIs in Chrome for developers to test, while working to refine its design proposals based on incoming data from developers, publishers, advertisers, and regulators through forums such as the W3C.
"Starting in early August, the Privacy Sandbox trials will expand to millions of users worldwide, and we will gradually increase the number of test participants over the rest of the year and into 2023," Chavez added. “Before users are added to the trials, they will be shown a message giving them the ability to manage their participation.
