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Chrome. Google is adding a dedicated "Topics API" to Chrome that they fully control the access to that does all tracking for them. (After repeatedly attempting

Chrome. Google is adding a dedicated "Topics API" to Chrome that they fully control the access to that does all tracking for them. (After repeatedly attempting to do it in an "agnostic" way that preserved privacy that just flat out didn't work, they just dropped the mask and openly started acting as gatekeepers for the Topics API.) That combined with the rollout of Manifest V3 permits them to axe adblockers whilst keeping full tracking enabled. The userbase percentage lost from Firefox users (around 3%, everything else runs a Firefox derivative or is iOS with Safari, which Google assumes is dead in the water due to the DMA) isn't enough to not have them transition fully to the Topics API at this point because of the ad profits they think they can get out of unwinding adblockers in Chrome. Google is closing the advertising jaws around Chrome and this is what that looks like.

ahahahahah 3y ago
The "Topics API" isn't really for Google. Basically, in the market of ad platforms, platforms other than Google are much more reliant on third-party tracking than Google itself is. Given that, regulators would not allow Google to remove third party cookie support from Chrome because it would unfairly benefit their own ad platform. The "Topics API" (and previous attempts) have been Google trying to find the most privacy-preserving thing that they could use to replace third party cookies and that would convince the regulators to allow them to remove third party cookies.
- noirscape 3y ago
  ...regulators aren't forbidding Google from blocking third party cookies as far as I can tell. I don't know what you're on about with that. The Topics API requires Google to approve your script before it works and if they didn't care about Ads and third party cookies, they'd have turned it off long ago.
  - Scion9066 3y ago
    Google definitely can't just block third-party cookies on their own: https://blog.google/products/chrome/privacy-sandbox-tracking-protection/ https://blog.google/products/chrome/privacy-sandbox-tracking... On January 4, we'll begin testing Tracking Protection, a new feature that limits cross-site tracking by restricting website access to third-party cookies by default. We'll roll this out to 1% of Chrome users globally, a key milestone in our Privacy Sandbox initiative to phase out third-party cookies for everyone in the second half of 2024, subject to addressing any remaining competition concerns from the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority. https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/653a58e2e6c968000daa9b94/__Q3_2023_update_report____.pdf https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/653a58e2e6c96... We would like to reassure the ecosystem that deprecation of third-party cookies can only take place once the competition concerns, identified by the CMA during its investigation, are addressed by Google. We have asked Google to be clear about this in its communications. Under the Commitments, there will be a Standstill Period of 60 days that applies before third-party cookies can be removed. This period can be extended to 120 days. During the Standstill Period, we will determine whether third-party cookie deprecation can go ahead based on the evidence we are gathering. This includes evidence from tests of the tools conducted by Google and other market participants. Our aim is to gather evidence of the likely impacts of the changes by the middle of 2024. The Standstill Period will take place following this, and once testing has been completed.
  - ahahahahah 3y ago
    > as far as I can tell Why spread misinformation so confidently if you aren't aware of what's happening in this case? It's not hard to find information about how regulators are making it hard for Google to remove third party cookies.

ahahahahah 3y ago

The "Topics API" isn't really for Google. Basically, in the market of ad platforms, platforms other than Google are much more reliant on third-party tracking than Google itself is. Given that, regulators would not allow Google to remove third party cookie support from Chrome because it would unfairly benefit their own ad platform. The "Topics API" (and previous attempts) have been Google trying to find the most privacy-preserving thing that they could use to replace third party cookies and that would convince the regulators to allow them to remove third party cookies.

noirscape 3y ago
...regulators aren't forbidding Google from blocking third party cookies as far as I can tell. I don't know what you're on about with that. The Topics API requires Google to approve your script before it works and if they didn't care about Ads and third party cookies, they'd have turned it off long ago.
- Scion9066 3y ago
  Google definitely can't just block third-party cookies on their own: https://blog.google/products/chrome/privacy-sandbox-tracking-protection/ https://blog.google/products/chrome/privacy-sandbox-tracking... On January 4, we'll begin testing Tracking Protection, a new feature that limits cross-site tracking by restricting website access to third-party cookies by default. We'll roll this out to 1% of Chrome users globally, a key milestone in our Privacy Sandbox initiative to phase out third-party cookies for everyone in the second half of 2024, subject to addressing any remaining competition concerns from the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority. https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/653a58e2e6c968000daa9b94/__Q3_2023_update_report____.pdf https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/653a58e2e6c96... We would like to reassure the ecosystem that deprecation of third-party cookies can only take place once the competition concerns, identified by the CMA during its investigation, are addressed by Google. We have asked Google to be clear about this in its communications. Under the Commitments, there will be a Standstill Period of 60 days that applies before third-party cookies can be removed. This period can be extended to 120 days. During the Standstill Period, we will determine whether third-party cookie deprecation can go ahead based on the evidence we are gathering. This includes evidence from tests of the tools conducted by Google and other market participants. Our aim is to gather evidence of the likely impacts of the changes by the middle of 2024. The Standstill Period will take place following this, and once testing has been completed.
- ahahahahah 3y ago
  > as far as I can tell Why spread misinformation so confidently if you aren't aware of what's happening in this case? It's not hard to find information about how regulators are making it hard for Google to remove third party cookies.