Google is in a unique position when it comes making the internet respect your privacy. Google controls the largest advertising platform in the world, as well as the most widely used search engine and web browser. Google and other companies have more control over how data is collected and tracked online.It is significant that Google has been working over the years to eradicate third-party cookies from tracking. These are tiny bits of code that websites use to track you activity on other sites and apps.Cookies are not necessarily bad. Cookies are useful for keeping you logged into sites you frequent. They aren't intended to be used for other purposes, such as tracking all your online activities.Google announced in 2020 that Chrome would block third party cookies by default - something almost all browsers do. Google has been working since then to find an alternative that allows advertisers to target users while respecting their privacy.Google's FLoC solution analyzes web activity and assigns users to a group. Advertisers will then be able to target these groups rather than individual users. Google claims that this method is privacy-protecting as individual users cannot be identified. That sounds fantastic in theory.It's not a good idea, except that it isn't. For example, the Electronic Frontier Foundation calls it a "terrible concept." Advertisers don't like it either. Amazon stated that it would block FLoC from being used on any of its websites.Google stated last week that it would delay the rollout and blocking of FLoC until 2023.There's no doubt that Google could make the internet more respectful of your privacy if it chooses to. It could just turn off third party cookies in Chrome.Google may be dragging this out to protect its business because it is addicted to your data, according to the cynical view. However, that is only partially true. You can argue that the truth is worse. Google doesn't need this data.Google could technically make the internet respect your privacy but it would have a huge advantage over all other advertising networks and platforms. Google has a lot of first-party data about its users. This makes it less dependent on third party tracking.Search is also Google's most lucrative advertising platform. Google doesn't need to track what you search for because you simply type the information into its website. It will simply show you ads at top of search engine results pages.While blocking third-party tracking would definitely affect Google's business and have an impact on the rest the digital advertising industry, it would be much more detrimental to Google's overall business. Google is therefore in an almost impossible position, although it's not as bad as it seems.Google seems to think that removing third-party cookies is the best outcome because it will force advertisers to be more dependent on Google. It would allow Google to have more control over digital advertising in the long-term, which may seem like a positive thing for Google.Google doesn't want to make it appear that it is becoming more dominant, given the antitrust pressure it is under. Google cannot cut off the industry, and not because it is being charitable, but because doing so would place its entire business at risk.
