Google Prepares To Launch New Privacy Tools To Limit Cookies (wsj.com) 48
Google is set to launch new tools to limit the use of tracking cookies, a move that could strengthen the search giant's advertising dominance and deal a blow to other digital-marketing companies, WSJ reported Monday, citing people familiar with the matter. [Editor's note: the link may be paywalled; alternative source.] From the report: After years of internal debate, Google could as soon as this week roll out a dashboard-like function in its Chrome browser that will give internet users more information about what cookies are tracking them and offer options to fend them off, the people said. This is a more incremental approach than less-popular browsers, such as Apple's Safari and Mozilla's Firefox, which introduced updates to restrict by default the majority of tracking cookies in 2017 and 2018, respectively. Google's move, which could be announced at its developer conference in Mountain View, Calif., starting Tuesday, is expected to be touted as part of the company's commitment to privacy -- a complicated sell, given the torrent of data it continues to store on users -- and press its sizable advantage over online-advertising rivals.
Uh-huh (Score:3, Insightful)
If you aren't protected from Google themselves, honestly, who gives a shit? Not using Google for anything is the only solution. Empty. Beyond empty. :/
Re: (Score:3, Informative)
Google does allow you to turn off tracking for their own services. The interface is better than it used to be, but it's still pretty complicated (link here [safety.google]).
Google's ability to track users who aren't logged in is much more limited, but you also don't get as many controls over what data is stored.
Re:Uh-huh (Score:4, Informative)
if you use chrome, you're tracked.. regardless of settings. chrome sends google way more information than you think it does. and there is no fucking way to turn it off. chrome is evil
and that's exactly why they're pulling this p.r. stunt... chrome's market share is high enough now they can pretend to care on the surface, but chrome is still giving them all the data they want, and then some... and if it stifles the competition in the ad game, so much the better.
Re: (Score:2)
if you use chrome, you're tracked.. regardless of settings.
Liar. I've checked with a packet sniffer, have you?
Post your evidence.
Re:Uh-huh (Score:5, Interesting)
Don't fall for the honeytrap. You have no way of knowing whether Google actually honors those settings and using Google services logged in gives them more info about you, not less.
Cookies are ancient history (Score:1)
They spy on you in new ways now.
Re: (Score:2, Insightful)
Between browser fingerprinting (font order, plugins, display, battery life), objects stored locally, IP addresses, even how one moved the mouse around, cookies are yesteryear's tracking device.
Oh noes! (Score:3)
Google Gatekeepers (Score:5, Interesting)
Since Google will control how cookies are used in their basically-a-monopoly browser, they'll now become the gatekeepers of all information any advertisers want to keep tabs on (track).
So basically, more concentration of power for Google.
Re:Google Gatekeepers (Score:5, Interesting)
Well, Google controls the browser in this case; so one could argue they can (theoretically, of course) still collect all the information on you they want while at the same time blocking the use of tracking cookies.
Re:Google Gatekeepers (Score:5, Interesting)
Well, Google controls the browser in this case; so one could argue they can (theoretically, of course) still collect all the information on you they want while at the same time blocking the use of tracking cookies.
Point is, that since Google just so happens to also have an advertising platform, they're effectively forcing everyone to use it by crippling others' ability to gain any data from users (track them) directly via Google's browser (which has become the leading browser, it just so happens) - and Google gets to call itself "privacy focused" in doing this.
Re: (Score:2)
While I agree with you in principle, it's already easy to block all 3rd party cookies in Chrome. Anybody who didn't do that probably won't pay attention to this dashboard either.
And that's probably the point - Google gets to call itself "privacy focused", while concentrating its power on user data collection, and how it gets paid for it (by effectively becoming the only one that gets that data).
If not for retargeting, we might not have uBO (Score:2)
basic interest based advertising
This itself has become too creepy in the opinion of many. Consider that the rise of desire to block ads has paralleled the rise of aggressive microtargeting of hyper-specific interests. Users realizing that they are being stalked with ads for single products that they recently viewed might have been the breaking point, according to "If it weren’t for retargeting, we might not have ad blocking" by Doc Searls [medium.com].
Re: (Score:2)
The thing about Google is that beyond basic interest based advertising they only collect your personal data with your explicit permission. You have to create an account and the opt in to it all.
What? What kind of game are you playing, Ami? You're not dumb enough to actually believe that. Google tracks you any way that they can, even if you're not using Chrome or their search engine [wikipedia.org]. This goes way beyond targetted advertising. Market research is huge, huge business and they can't do it unless they track people.
I've always thought the constant vilifying of this stuff could get a bit silly, but it's singularly strange to pretend that it doesn't occur.
One step ahead (Score:2)
Google may have discovered that it's information gathering is being made difficult by things like Cookie Auto Delete extensions in browsers like Firefox. No doubt people will be happy to use the Google browser on the basis that they can choose to block Facebook or other favorite bogyman. Personally I will continue to make use of tools independent of the giant companies to frustrate their data mining. Script blockers are also needed as well as cookie controls and they are not offering them.
Re:One step ahead (Score:5, Interesting)
Re: (Score:2)
Chrome has had something like that from pretty much day 1. You can have cookies cleared when the browser closes, with a whitelist of ones to keep. There are also extensions that make it easier to control the whitelist, such as Vanilla.
Cookie deleter deleter (Score:2)
Cookie Auto Delete extensions in browsers like Firefox
..which is what I'm using right now. Why is Google late to the party?
Probably because Google realized that Firefox would automatically delete your Cookie Auto Delete extensions when the signing certificate expired.
obvious fake news (Score:3)
Big Brother Google is always watching.
Tools To Limit Cookies (Score:5, Insightful)
But those by Google and affiliates, of course.
Re: (Score:2)
Re: "the company's commitment to privacy" (Score:1)
It's committed to it's own privacy and it's customers privacy.
Don't forget- we are the product.
Products are to be exploited and profited from.
The data they collect is packaged up and sold to the customers.
Want ads? (Score:1)
No third party ads due to user privacy.
sarkariresult (Score:1)