Google has announced a major change in its online user tracking policy. Let’s look at the details.
Google has announced a major change to its online user tracking policy . Which will go into effect on February 16. The company will allow the use of digital fingerprinting, a technique for identifying users based on the collection of information on devices and software, previously prohibited.
The move represents a reversal of Google’s previous stance on user privacy. The company cites advances in privacy-enhancing technologies (PETs) as a reason to loosen restrictions on advertisers and hidden trackers. That underpin the internet ecosystem. However, regulators have expressed strong concerns about the impact on user privacy.
Digital fingerprinting allows users to be identified by analyzing signals such as the device used, IP address, credentials, sites visited and apps used. Unlike cookies, which can be deleted. These “digital fingerprints” are more difficult for users to delete and control.
“Fingerprinting is not an appropriate way of tracking users online . Because it is expected to minimize individual choice and control over how their information is collected” . According to Stephen Almond, representing the UK’s Information Commissioner’s Office.
Google says the change is necessary to accommodate the changing ways people consume the internet , particularly on smart TVs and gaming consoles. The company says the new technologies will “unlock new ways for companies to securely manage and activate their data”. While still providing users with “the privacy protections they expect . “
Signals used in fingerprinting are difficult for users to remove. According to the ICO: “Even if you ‘delete all your site data,’ the organization could instantly recognize you again using fingerprinting techniques.”
Regulators fear that the move could simply push the negative aspects of tracking cookies into a new era, in a way that is impossible for users to understand and control. The ICO has warned companies that they “do not have free rein to use fingerprinting as they wish” and that it will intervene if it is not implemented lawfully and transparently.
Google’s decision comes at a complex time, with ongoing action from the U.S. Department of Justice. That could lead to forced changes, including the potential divestment of Chrome. There’s also uncertainty about what will replace third-party tracking cookies.
google cites the growth of smart TV (CTV) advertising as an example of the need for new tracking solutions.
Google’s move is already meeting with considerable skepticism from regulators. For users, it’s yet another reason to carefully evaluate the browser they use and the settings they apply across all their smart devices.
The ICO stressed that “businesses should not treat fingerprinting as a simple solution to the loss of third-party cookies” . Insisting that users must retain “meaningful control over how their information is used to show them personalised advertising” .
While Google promises to implement “privacy protections” and work with the advertising industry to make PET technologies more accessible. It remains to be seen how these promises will play out in practice and what the actual impact will be on users’ privacy online.https://youtu.be/2Zg–ouGl7c?si=V1l7l3ZRUpSHVWzx