Google testing alternative to third-party cookies
The advertising business is focusing on how to target ads when third-party cookies are stopped. Google has now announced that it is starting a developer origin trial of its alternative called FLoC (Federated Learning of Cohorts) that the company says will offer advertisers to target not individuals but categories of users who have similar interests.
Instead of a personally identifiable cookie, FLoC runs locally and analyzes browsing behavior and creates groups with similar interests. The argument is that this improves privacy on the web.
The trial will not start in the EU as it from a legal point is unclear how to define FLoC and if they would fall under EU´s GDPR rules about privacy. Instead the tests start in the US, Australia, Brazil, Canada, India, Indonesia, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand and the Philippines.
”FLoC is still in development and we expect it to evolve based on input from the web community and learnings from this initial trial”, Product Manager, Marshall Vale, wrote in a blog post.
“When other browsers started blocking third-party cookies by default, we were excited about the direction, but worried about the immediate impact. Excited because we absolutely need a more private web, and we know third-party cookies aren’t the long-term answer. Worried because today many publishers rely on cookie-based advertising to support their content efforts…. Overall, we felt that blocking third-party cookies outright without viable alternatives for the ecosystem was irresponsible, and even harmful, to the free and open web we all enjoy.”
Moonshot News is an independent European news website for all IT, Media and Advertising professionals, powered by women and with a focus on driving the narrative for diversity, inclusion and gender equality in the industry.
Our mission is to provide top and unbiased information for all professionals and to make sure that women get their fair share of voice in the news and in the spotlight!
We produce original content, news articles, a curated calendar of industry events and a database of women IT, Media and Advertising associations.
