Google brings Chrome’s privacy sandbox to Android
Efforts to protect user privacy have been an ongoing and sometimes uphill battle. As users of Google services, we understand that nothing is free and that Google is – ultimately – an advertising agency. Yet we want to retain as much privacy as possible without having to give up the benefits of using our beloved Gmail – But where do we draw the line?
In 2020, Google launched the Privacy Sandbox for Chrome, an initiative that aimed to phase out third-party cookies on the web and effectively restrict how much of your information can be shared with advertisers. We covered this in detail here on Chrome Unboxed, specifically the components of this initiative that prevented Chrome extensions or websites from sharing data and processes with each other. Other ongoing efforts include the Topics and FLoC APIs which serve as a middle ground to continue serving ads, but restrict them to displaying only to those who have opted in to said topic or category.
Last year, on the Android side, Google developed “Advertising ID”, which assigned a unique ID to a user while giving that user the ability to reset or opt out of personalized ads. Today Google unveiled a multi-year initiative to bring its privacy sandbox to Android. Simply, Google wants to slowly but surely make changes to how developers track and collect user data, but they don’t want to do it in a way that disrupts what they’re currently doing.. Instead, Google wants developer input and collaboration while working closely with regulators and key industry players to ensure there are no fun deals.
Google says the Privacy Sandbox initiative builds on their existing efforts across the web and provides a way to improve our privacy without affecting our access to free content. There’s also been a not-so-subtle swipe at Apple and its recent “hard-hitting” approach to stopping cross-app tracking, which has led to disruption in the advertising practices of companies like Meta/Facebook.. These changes affected Facebook in such a way that it reduced its market capitalization by approximately $230 billion.
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Google promises to work directly with developers – starting today – by sharing their initial design proposals and receiving feedback on the Android Developers site. Additionally, Google plans to release developer previews throughout the year and a final beta by the end of the year.
Will the changes proposed by Google be sufficient or do you prefer a more immediate solution as Apple has done? Although Google isn’t doing anything to harm their ad business, they had to tackle the ‘privacy’ elephant in the room after all the media coverage about how Apple’s changes affected revenue. iOS ads. It remains to be seen to what extent – if any – Android’s changes will have an effect.