While other services are already blocking third-party cookies, it will take a little longer for Google to do this. The final ban has now been announced for the end of 2023 – it should actually come as early as 2022. According to Google, the reason is: “We want to continue working with the web community on more data protection-oriented concepts for key areas, such as ad measurement, delivery of relevant ads and content, and fraud detection.”
Discussions are to take place until 2023 – “Technologies and their prototypes are discussed in forums such as Github or W3C groups” and tests, such as those with FLoC (Federated Learning of Cohorts), are already running. For browser-based tracking by interest groups, Google explains that feedback from the web community should be incorporated before further tests are carried out. The feedback should also include some criticism and concerns, such as the fact that the method makes people identifiable – which should actually be excluded by the groups. Only when the development process has been completed will technologies be widely introduced in Chrome.
No fingerprinting, but personalized advertising
The plan states that APIs for testing in Chrome will be released from the end of 2022. In this stage 1, publishers and advertisers should be given time to migrate their services. From mid-2023, third-party cookies will expire within a period of three months.
Google says in a blog postthat we continue to take measures that fall under the umbrella of the privacy sandbox, i.e. against covert tracking through fingerprinting. This also includes the update published last month with the reduction of user-agent strings. “If we can ensure that the ecosystem can continue to support business activities without tracking individuals on the web, we can continue to provide free access to content.” Google does not explain what non-free access would be and whether the myth of paid internet (or services) is meant.
The search for the successor of cookies in order to be able to continue to display personalized advertising will therefore initially continue. Advertising that is not tailored to the user simply does not seem to be an option.
(emw)
