One of Google's upcoming privacy protections is the Privacy Sandbox program. Google announced that starting January 4, they will block internet cookies for about 30 million Chrome users, or 1% of its user base, as the first step in its Privacy Sandbox program, which aims to replace traditional cookies with what Google calls a more privacy-friendly tracking method.
For the past 30 years, tech companies have used so-called "third-party cookies" to track users' activities. Have you noticed that the pair of shoes you added to your cart a few weeks ago has been following you in an ad online?This is likely to involve third-party cookies. These cookies allow you to work with other companies, including Google, to track your every move online. This is a good thing for companies, but a disaster for your privacy, as it means that many companies can keep your web browsing history.
As an alternative, Google has introduced a new set of tools that enable Chrome itself to track your activity. Essentially, this data stays on your device, and your browser will put you in different categories or "ad topics". * Chrome can be asked what categories you fall into, but they can't know exactly who you are (at least not through cookies, there are other less popular technologies).
Don't get me wrong, Chrome is still tracking you, and it's not the same way as Firefox and Safari. But most people don't bother to change browsers, and aside from the rest, Google's new version of Chrome is at least a step forward in terms of privacy, as it reveals less information about you and your internet activity.
These cookie alternatives in the Privacy Sandbox are already available on the Chrome browser, but are still an optional tool at the moment. If you don't like the idea, you can go into the settings and disable them.
If you see a pop-up in Chrome on January 4th, it means that you are in the 1% of the test user base, and will get "tracking protection" by default that Google calls a cookie-blocking tool. When you turn on Tracking Protection, you'll see a small eye icon in the URL bar.
This is a major change in the way the internet works, so some problems arise. Cookies are not only used for monitoring, they are also used to keep track of whether you are logged in, the items in your shopping cart, and other convenient things. Google is trying to distinguish between bad and good cookies, but something will inevitably go wrong in the early stages. You'll be able to disable Tracking Protection at any time to resolve any issues, and if Chrome notices that you're having a problem, it will prompt you to disable Tracking Protection for a specific one.
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