Google abandons FLoC, introduces Topics API to replace tracking cookies

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge

A new system for interest-based advertising called the TopicsAPI is the reason why the plans to replace third-party cookies with FLoC are back on track. Topics works by identifying five of your interests based on your web activity for a week.

Your browser will keep these topics for three weeks before they are deleted. These categories are selected entirely on your device, and don't involve any external server, according to the company.

There are currently about 350 topics in the advertising taxonomy, although there are plans to add many more in the future. The topics won't include any sensitive categories like race or gender. The company is building tools to let you view and remove topics, as well as turn off the feature.

Image by Google

The time to replace third-party cookies in Chrome is running out. There is no information on when the developer trial for Topics in Chrome will start.

Browsers have always worked for the users, but when they started blocking pop-up ads, it was great.

FLoC is a form of interest-based tracking that identifies you based on your interests or a group of people.

Privacy critics like the EFF argue that the system poses additional privacy risks, such as making it easier for advertisers to identify you with browser fingerprinting, a tool used by sites to gain specific information about your device and browser, and potentially expose information about your demographics. Brave, Vivaldi, Edge, and Mozilla have all refused to use it because of these concerns.

Bennett Cyphers, a staff technologist at EFF, said that it definitely improves on FLoC.

The idea of assigning topics to users isn't new. The EFF points out that the Privacy Sandbox weighed the idea of Private Interest Including Noise, otherwise known as "Like Topics", which would work by sharing a list of interests with advertisers. There will be more details about that plan and technical proposals later this week.

Bennett Cyphers, a staff technologist at EFF, added a statement.