Google Will Turn Off Cookies for 30 Million People on January 4 (gizmodo.com)
from L4s@lemmy.world to technology@lemmy.world on 15 Dec 2023 08:00
https://lemmy.world/post/9589397

Google Will Turn Off Cookies for 30 Million People on January 4::Google’s cookie-killing “Privacy Sandbox” project is finally set to begin.

#technology

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autotldr@lemmings.world on 15 Dec 2023 08:00 next collapse

This is the best summary I could come up with:

For the past 30 years, websites and tech companies have used so-called “third-party cookies” as the primary way to track consumers online.

But most people don’t bother to change browsers, and if nothing else, Google’s shiny new version of Chrome is a step forward for privacy because it reveals less information about you and what you’ve been up to on the internet.

“We are making one of the largest changes to how the Internet works at a time when people, more than ever, are relying on the free services and content that the web offers,” said Victor Wong, Google’s senior director of product management for Privacy Sandbox, told Gizmodo in an interview in April, 2023.

These moves are a big deal because the vast majority of internet users are on Chrome, which means when Google is done with its cookie killing, they’ll essentially be dead for good.

If you see a popup in Chrome on January 4th, that means you’re in the test group of 1% of users who are getting “Tracking Protection” by default, which is Google’s name for the cookie-blocking tool.

Google is working to single out the bad cookies and save the good ones, but some things will inevitably break in the early stages.

The original article contains 623 words, the summary contains 207 words. Saved 67%. I’m a bot and I’m open source!

krigo666@lemmy.world on 15 Dec 2023 08:53 next collapse

All your tracks are belong to us. /s

What a load of bullshit.

Shady_Shiroe@lemmy.world on 15 Dec 2023 09:10 next collapse

There will definitely be a new way to do the same thing, probably would be even better way to track.

my_hat_stinks@programming.dev on 15 Dec 2023 09:10 next collapse

In place of cookies, Google has introduced a new set of tools that makes the Chrome browser itself keep tabs on what you’re doing online.

So instead of cookies which can be blocked or deleted relatively simply there’s spyware baked directly into the browser. How is this an improvement for the user?

oDDmON@lemmy.world on 15 Dec 2023 09:42 next collapse

How is this an improvement for the user?

Wrong question. You should be asking, how is this an improvement for owners and shareholders? There’s money to be made somehow, right?

treefrog@lemm.ee on 15 Dec 2023 12:36 collapse

OC forgot that we’re the product

carl_dungeon@lemmy.world on 15 Dec 2023 11:38 next collapse

It finally convinces you to stop using chrome, so an improvement.

ilmagico@lemmy.world on 15 Dec 2023 22:21 collapse

Will Chromium-based browsers also have this “feature”, or can they turn it off (and will they)? Or is firefox the only safe alternative left?

carl_dungeon@lemmy.world on 16 Dec 2023 00:05 collapse

I use a mix of browsers, but I don’t think all chromium get this automatically- most are forks from further upstream I think? Vivaldi is my favorite non-chrome chromium.

residentmarchant@lemmy.world on 15 Dec 2023 18:07 next collapse

It’s not, it just blocks others from tracking you, giving Google a stronger monopoly

Lucidlethargy@sh.itjust.works on 17 Dec 2023 08:59 collapse

The user? Why would Google care about the user? They don’t even care about their advertisers.

rtxn@lemmy.world on 15 Dec 2023 09:40 next collapse

Privacy and security under the watchful eye’s benevolent gaze.

<img alt="" src="https://lemmy.world/pictrs/image/83443c1e-1e95-4adc-9a81-214feec1ceaf.png">

oDDmON@lemmy.world on 15 Dec 2023 09:43 next collapse

Looks like a good time to shitcan Chrome, and take a hard look at any forks built from it.

SimonSaysStuff@lemmy.world on 15 Dec 2023 10:02 next collapse

I get the distinct feeling that the EU will have something to say about a US tech giant baking spyware into web browser that EU citizens use.

3TH4Li4@feddit.ch on 16 Dec 2023 01:19 collapse

Google lobbying is huge in EU. Unlike Apple.

Extrasvhx9he@lemmy.today on 15 Dec 2023 10:16 next collapse

Damn they just keep coming up with shit ideas one after the other

RQG@lemmy.world on 15 Dec 2023 10:16 next collapse

Here is what I think is happening. Google blocks certain third party tracking cookies by default in chrome. They said theyll make a list to distinguish between what they call good and bad cookies. Also they’ll add built in tracking for Google into chrome.

With chrome being the most used browser by far they can use that to sell white list slots on their list or access to the built in tracking. I assume that’s what they are after.

3TH4Li4@feddit.ch on 16 Dec 2023 01:21 collapse

Like how they distinguish between malware and non malware ads on YouTube? If that’s the “Protection” they’re offering then I’ll gladly pass on it.

1984@lemmy.today on 15 Dec 2023 12:11 next collapse

Privacy Sandbox from fucking Google… Lol.

That’s like a terrorist offering protection services.

QuarterSwede@lemmy.world on 15 Dec 2023 13:39 next collapse

If you can’t delete or clear whatever site tracking it will have this will have some unintended consequences.

Ex. There is at least one site that I regularly have to delete the cookie for when it just stops working with my login. That’s the only fix. I’d be locked out if there is no way to clear that kind of data and it’s for work. This is for a 3rd party service a LOT of people use.

TheGrandNagus@lemmy.world on 15 Dec 2023 13:51 collapse

What the fuck is up with this Google-simping headline? It makes it sound like Google is doing a pro-privacy move lol