It’s a long-standing plan that is starting to bear fruit for Google. The company has eliminated, for the first time, some of its cookies. As of this Thursday, January 4, 1% of Google search engine users are now free of tracking cookies, that is, about 30 million users.
Tracking cookies
Tracking cookies allow companies to track the consumption habits of Internet users. Specifically, they are the first link established between an ad and the person who will see it. For example, when an Internet user goes to an online shopping site and puts an item of clothing in her cart, she will be offered ads for similar items while browsing online.
For years, cookies have naturally been a problem for privacy advocates, but also for legislation, which considers that cookie management can be confusing for Internet users. In 2020, Google also suffered a large fine from the CNIL, which accused it of failing to obtain users’ consent before tracking them. The European Commission also proposed, in mid-December 2023, a list of best practices for websites to make the overall system clearer and more respectful of the privacy of Internet users.
A more respectful system
When cookies end, Google will not end tracking. The idea is to replace them with a system that is more respectful of privacy.
Among the new tools used by Google is a tracking system directly integrated into Chrome, which will therefore be specific to the device used and no longer to the user account, describes the specialized media Gizmodo. At the same time, Google will classify users by center of interest, as we learned in 2022. In this way, websites will be able to ask Google to know the interests of Internet users, but they will not be able to identify them individually.
And, as Gizmodo points out, if there are other web browsers like Safari or Mozilla available and much more respectful of privacy, it is Google that has the largest market share in the sector and the largest number of users.
The total elimination of cookies should be carried out gradually throughout the year 2024, according to Google’s project. For Google users who are already affected, a window will appear when Google Chrome opens, outlining the company’s “Tracking Protection” plan.
Source: BFM TV
