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Now that Google Chrome has finally started ditching third-party cookies, AdGuard claims the new Protected Audience API is barely any better. Third-party cookies, or tracking cookies, are used by websites to track users across the web. The main reason these cookies are frowned upon is privacy concerns. Google Chrome has been promising to follow in the footsteps of other browsers and do away with these cookies. However, a recent analysis by AdGuard claims Google’s replacement for these cookies is barely any more private.
What are third-party cookies?
Third-party cookies are used by sites to track users even after they’ve left that site. This is mainly used to analyze a user’s browsing history and then show them relevant ads. Though the concept works, it has always been a point of contention because of privacy concerns. In recent years, most other browsers have stopped supporting third-party cookies. Google Chrome has been trying to come up with a replacement method and has now introduced the Protected Audience API.
What is Google’s Protected Audience API?
Google wanted to come up with a replacement that improved privacy but still allowed for targeted ads. The company’s first attempt was named FLEDGE, which stood for First Locally-Executed Decision over Groups Experiment. FLEDGE didn’t catch on, and Google started work on something different. This resulted in the birth of the Protected Audience API.
The Protected Audience API is designed to let ads be targeted without a user’s browsing history being shared. This is done by relegating tasks traditionally handled by third-party cookies to the browser instead. A “Topics API” tracks a user’s interests and communicates this information to the Protected Audience API. The latter then bid for ad space and shows the user the winning ad.
AdGuard says this turns your browser into an ad auction tool
AdGuard, a leading ad-blocking and VPN service is very skeptical of Google’s new API. According to a blog post on its site as well as a tweet, AdGuard says the API turns the browser into an ad auction tool. Though more private than third-party cookies, AdGuard observed that this solution means multiple scripts and ads are run on a browser. So, though a user’s information won’t be publicly shared, the browser will be storing everything. Furthermore, AdGuard thinks a lot of this might happen without a user’s knowledge or consent.
AdGuard has said it doesn’t trust Google with this data and will be suppressing the API for people who use AdGuard’s services. The company also stated it was working on “more advanced ways” to disable the new API. Google has already begun rolling out the API, and approximately 1% of Chrome’s user base has gotten the update.