Photographer: Toru Hanai / Bloomberg
Photographer: Toru Hanai / Bloomberg
Google is investigating an alternative to Apple Inc.’s new anti-tracking feature, the latest sign that the Internet industry is slowly embracing user privacy, according to knowledgeable people.
Internally, the search giant is discussing how it can restrict data collection and cross-app tracking on the Android operating system in a way that is less stringent than Apple’s solution, the people said, who asked not to be identified while discussing private plans.
Google is trying to balance the growing demands of privacy-conscious consumers with the financial needs of developers and advertisers. The The unit of Alphabet Inc. asks for input from these stakeholders, similar to how it is slowly developing a new privacy standard for web browsing called the Privacy Sandbox.
With more than $ 100 billion in annual digital ad sales, Google has an interest in helping partners continue to monetize by targeting ads to Android device users and measuring the performance of those marketing spots.
“We are always looking for ways to work with developers to raise the bar for privacy while enabling a healthy, ad-supported app ecosystem,” a Google spokesperson said in a statement.
In an upcoming software update for iPhones and iPads called iOS 14.5 and iPadOS 14.5, Apple is adding a new feature called App Tracking Transparency. The tool allows consumers to choose whether apps can collect data about them through other apps and websites. The upcoming move has shocked the digital ad industry. Facebook Inc. and other companies have complained that the feature limits their ability to effectively display personalized ads and generate revenue.
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A Google solution is likely to be less strict and doesn’t require a prompt to sign up for data tracking like Apple’s, people said. The exploration of an Android alternative to Apple’s feature is still in its early stages, and Google hasn’t decided when or if the changes will go ahead.
On the iPhone, Google provides developers with a framework so that they can monetize their apps with Google ads. In a recent blog post, Google said Apple’s ad tracking update means developers “can see a significant impact” on their ad revenue.
To keep advertisers happy while improving privacy, discussions about Google’s Android solution indicate that it could be similar to the planned changes to the Chrome web browser, the folks said. The company said in 2020 that it plans to phase out third-party cookies in Chrome within two years. Google confirmed that plan earlier this year. Cookies are a way for websites to track users on the Internet to show them more personalized ads.
Google’s web alternative, known as the Privacy Sandbox, allows for some ad targeting with less specific data collection. As part of that solution, the company has developed a technology called Federated Learning of Cohorts that allows advertisers to target groups of people with the same interests rather than individuals. Google will likely take a similar approach with Android.