Phasing out 3rd party cookies in Chrome: A promise from January 2020… Now gone!
Remember this past week post: Gauge how your data are used on a website explaining cookies tricks to play with your consent in sharing your personal data and featuring this very efficient illustration from Tom Fishburne:
Despite the fact Apple phased out those 3rd party trackers since 2017, and Firefox since 2018, Google, after promising the phase out of those 3rd party cookies since January 2020… finally announced:
A new path for Privacy Sandbox on the web in which we can read:
“Instead of deprecating third-party cookies, we would introduce a new experience in Chrome that lets people make an informed choice that applies across their web browsing, and they’d be able to adjust that choice at any time.”
Yes, 3rd party cookies are staying. Google will apply them across your browsing (reminder: a cookie, originally (1st party cookies) was per website and per device).
As said, these cookies enable cross-site tracking and data collection, which raises privacy concerns and has led to regulatory scrutiny and evolving browser policies to limit their use.
And Google just announced the choice between the surviving 3rd Party Cookies and a new comer: Their Privacy Sandbox, in development for the past 5 years.
Privacy Sandbox: Differences with Third-Party Cookies:
(source ChatGPT)
- Individual Tracking vs. Cohort-Based Tracking:
- Third-party cookies track individual users across different websites, collecting detailed information about their browsing habits. The Privacy Sandbox, on the other hand, groups users into cohorts, which means that data is anonymized and aggregated, making it harder to track individuals.
- Cross-Site Tracking:
- Third-party cookies enable cross-site tracking, where data from one website can be used to target ads on another site. The Privacy Sandbox APIs are designed to prevent this type of tracking by confining data to individual sites and using privacy-preserving techniques.
- Data Centralization:
- With third-party cookies, data is often collected and stored by multiple third-party entities, increasing the risk of data breaches and misuse. The Privacy Sandbox aims to minimize data sharing and centralize data processing to the user’s device, enhancing security and privacy.
Privacy Sandbox: Concerns and Reasons for Caution.
The Privacy Sandbox initiative by Google does raise some concerns, particularly regarding Google’s power and influence in the digital advertising ecosystem. Here are some reasons why people might be apprehensive:
1/ Centralization of Power:
- Dominance in the Market: Google already has a significant share of the digital advertising market. By introducing Privacy Sandbox, there is a risk that Google could further consolidate its control over how ads are targeted and delivered, potentially reducing competition and innovation from smaller players.
- Gatekeeper Role: With Google playing a central role in managing privacy standards and technologies, it essentially becomes a gatekeeper. This could lead to a scenario where Google has significant influence over what is considered acceptable in terms of privacy and advertising practices.
2/ Impact on Competition:
- Anti-Competitive Concerns: Regulators have been scrutinizing Google for potential anti-competitive behavior. There are concerns that Privacy Sandbox could disadvantage competitors by limiting their ability to access user data while Google continues to benefit from its own data collection through first-party relationships (like those with Gmail, YouTube, etc.).
- Barriers to Entry: New and smaller companies might find it challenging to compete if they cannot leverage third-party cookies and must rely on Google’s frameworks and APIs. (that might be the reason why Google is not sunsetting them)
3/ Transparency and Accountability:
- Opaque Processes: There may be concerns about how transparent Google will be regarding the functioning of Privacy Sandbox. If the inner workings of the new technologies are not transparent, it could be difficult to hold Google accountable for privacy breaches or anti-competitive practices.
- User Understanding: While Google promises user control and transparency, the complexity of privacy settings could still lead to confusion, where users might not fully understand what they are consenting to or how their data is being used. (reminder: Between 2019 and 2023, from 63% to 72% understand very little/not at all privacy laws (source))
Now why ConsentPlace? For Ethic, Trusted, Direct brand-user relationships!
A new Brand-User relationship.
Whether you are a Brand or a user, customer or prospect, we’ve created ConsentPlace to enhance your relationship to go beyond just a commercial relationship and rather build a strong, intimate connection.
Ethic. No cookie tricks.
As we wrote in “Where did my Consents go?“:
81% are worried about the use of their data (source).
Programmatic, 2nd Party Cookies, Data Collaboration, Privacy, Consent Management, 1st Party ID, Retail Media… Marketing Technologies (MarTech) has reached a level of complexity that is hard to follow due to the multiplicity of players and technologies. This complexity exposes brands and publishers to regulators and consumers who are increasingly concerned about the use of their data.
Your data is massively shared with the “partners” of the site you visit!
Yes, your explicit consent can be given to a website you don’t directly know via a partnership listed in the consent options. When you provide consent on a website that uses a Consent Management Platform (CMP), you are often consenting not just to the primary website’s use of cookies and data processing, but also to those of their listed partners. (read more here)
And it’s not getting any better: Between 2019 and 2023, from 63% to 72% understand very little/not at all privacy laws (source)
ConsentPlace is a rewarding Zero-Party Cookiesolution. 100% ethic.
Trusted. Explicit. Consent. Period.
As a user:
You define and control your Consent with your name and email, and your interests, to get what matters to you and set the reward you desire for a Brand to rent your data for a period of time. When a brand selects you, you give your Explicit Consent for a direct, ethic, trusted connection with the Brand.
The brand voluntarily accepts to respect all legal privacy laws with your data. When they reach out, you know who they are. No surprise. Nothing hidden or stolen. You are in control.
As a brand:
Warren Buffett says “It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it. If you think about that, you’ll do things differently.”
So, why taking the risk to use personal data without explicit consent?
and why going through brand safety risky tricks like “implicit consents” (which is NOT Explicit), 2nd party cookies (read previous post) or any other data exchanges?
Direct. Conversational. Intimate.
ConsentPlace’s process is conversational.
ConsentPlace – Users:
ConsentPlace’s 3Ps: Profile, Price and PayOut!
ConsentPlace – Brands:
Commitments from Brands
And then, once reward has been accepted by users, Brands are in direct contact with users.
Got questions? Shoot!