Google is tracking your online footprints again.
The technology company makes a radical shift in its commitments related to privacy.
Google has decided to modify its privacy policies, adopting practices that favor data collection for advertising purposes. The company has revived a data collection process that captures various online signals, from IP addresses to detailed browser information, enabling the identification of specific users or devices through what is known as “digital fingerprints.”
The new policies of the company’s platform program involve a relaxation of restrictions for advertisers and a focus on personalized advertising across multiple devices. This decision is part of a broader shift in the "advertising ecosystem" and the development of privacy-enhancing technologies (PETs), such as on-device processing and trusted execution environments, as stated by Google. The company argues that these innovations provide adequate protection for users while opening up "new ways for brands to manage and activate their information securely."
The new functionality will be available to advertisers starting February 16, 2025. Google maintains that, thanks to PETs, a high privacy standard can be established in the use of data such as IP addresses. The company plans to partner with the advertising industry to make these technologies more accessible.
In July, Google announced a pivot in its decision to eliminate third-party cookies, instead choosing to empower users through customized privacy options via a product called Privacy Sandbox. Unlike cookies, tracking through digital fingerprints is harder to detect, complicating its removal or blocking by privacy-conscious users.
On December 19, the UK Information Commissioner's Office (ICO), responsible for data protection, criticized Google for this policy change. The ICO labeled the company as "irresponsible," arguing that tracking through digital fingerprints represents an unfair means of tracking users, limiting their choice and control over their personal information. Furthermore, it warned that this practice could encourage riskier behavior by advertisers.
Stephen Almond, executive director of regulatory risk at the ICO, reminded that Google had previously claimed that the use of fingerprints does not meet users' privacy expectations, as they cannot easily consent to such tracking. The ICO has warned that it will intervene if Google does not demonstrate compliance with existing legal requirements for this type of technology, including obtaining explicit consent and the right to data deletion.
