Google said today that it was expanding the test windows of its Privacy Sandbox APIs before turning off third-party cookies in Chrome.
Through Privacy Sandbox, companies and developers can build thriving digital businesses while protecting people’s privacy online. It helps keep online content and services free while reducing tracking between sites and apps.
In a blog post, Vice President Anthony Chavez said: “Improving people’s privacy while giving businesses the tools they need to succeed online is vital to the future of the open web. It’s That’s why we started the Privacy Sandbox initiative to collaborate with the ecosystem on developing privacy-preserving alternatives to third-party cookies and other forms of cross-site tracking.Over the past few months, we’ve been rolling out test versions of a number of new Sandbox privacy APIs in Chrome for developers to test.
“Throughout this process, we’ve worked to refine our design proposals based on input from developers, publishers, vendors and regulators through forums like the W3C, and earlier this year we reached an agreement with the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) about how we develop and release the Privacy Sandbox in Chrome worldwide.
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“The most consistent comment we’ve received is the need for more time to evaluate and test new Sandbox privacy technologies before abandoning third-party cookies in Chrome. These comments align with our commitment to the CMA to ensure that the Private Sandbox offers effective technologies that preserve privacy and gives the industry enough time to adopt these new solutions.This deliberate approach to the transition from third-party cookies ensures that the web can continue to thrive, without relying on tracking identifiers between sites or covert techniques such as fingerprinting.
“For these reasons, we are expanding the testing windows for Sandbox privacy APIs before disabling third-party cookies in Chrome.
“Developers can test these APIs today, and beginning in early August, Privacy Sandbox testing will expand to millions of users worldwide, and we will gradually increase the test population throughout the remainder of year and until 2023. Before users are added to testing, they’ll be shown a message giving them the option to manage their participation. As the web community tests these APIs, we’ll continue to listen and respond to feedback .
“In the third quarter of 2023, we expect the Privacy Testbox APIs to be available and generally available in Chrome. As developers adopt these APIs, we now intend to begin removing third-party cookies in Chrome during the second half of 2024,” Chávez said.
The goals of the Privacy Sandbox
- Create new technologies to keep your information private
People should be able to enjoy their browsing and app experience without worrying about what personal information is being collected and by whom. Sandbox privacy technologies aim to make current tracking mechanisms obsolete and block covert tracking techniques such as fingerprinting.
- It allows publishers and developers to keep online content free
Billions of people around the world depend on access to information from sites and apps. To provide this free resource without relying on intrusive tracking, publishers and developers need privacy-preserving alternatives for their key business needs, such as serving relevant content and ads.
- Collaborate with industry to create new Internet privacy standards
The Internet is a source of information and engine of economic growth worldwide. Google has invited industry members (including publishers, developers, advertisers, and more) to participate and contribute to the development of better privacy standards for the web and Android.
LiveRamp’s COO Asia Pacific Melanie Hoptman said: “Today’s announcement from Google may be an indication that Google believes that not enough companies have begun their transition to cookie-free alternatives. Regardless of the timeline that Google has established: more than 45% of the Internet is already cookie-free, the mobile app is cookie-free, and CTV is cookie-free Now is the time for publishers and marketers to control their destiny and move from identity-based in cookies to people-based identity Given today’s economic uncertainty, it is especially important to optimize the impact of every marketing and advertising dollar. Marketers should ask themselves if their investments are addressable, accountable and measurable. Those who are by moving into their cookie-cutter future and trading based on business results, rather than traditional reach and awareness metrics, they can ensure that media dollars work harder than and never”.
In January, Google launched Topics, a new Privacy Sandbox proposal for interest-based advertising.
The topics were informed by platform learning and widespread community feedback from Google’s previous FLoC trials, and will replace its previous FLoC proposal.
FLoC, which stands for Federated Learning of Cohorts, was Google’s solution to allowing advertisers to create targeted ads without exposing the details of the individual users being targeted, through the use of third-party cookies. It was part of Google’s Privacy Sandbox, which aimed to create web technologies that protect people’s privacy online and give companies and developers the tools to build successful digital businesses.
In February, Google revealed proposed restrictions on how it tracks users through apps on its Android system, in what appears to be a response to a similar move by Apple last year.
Updated timelines and milestones are available on the Privacy Sandbox website.