Google Working on Replacing Cookies With Less Intrusive Tracking Method

[dgstorm]

It looks like Google has been taking all the intrusive data tracking complaints seriously and is working on a solution. According to a report at USAToday, Google is developing something called anonymous identifier for advertisers (AdID), which will eventually be a replacement for the third party cookies which are primarily used today. Here's a quote with a few more details,

Google, which accounts for about a third of worldwide online ad revenue, is developing an anonymous identifier for advertising, or AdID, that would replace third-party cookies as the way advertisers track people's Internet browsing activity for marketing purposes, according to a person familiar with the plan.

The AdID would be transmitted to advertisers and ad networks that have agreed to basic guidelines, giving consumers more privacy and control over how they browse the Web, the person said, on condition of anonymity.

The primary purpose of this new system would give users more control over how their data habits are tracked over the web. Their method would actually offer users the ability to limit ad tracking through browser settings and more. Here's another quick quote,

The AdID may be automatically reset by the browser every year, and users will be able to create a secondary AdID for online browsing sessions they want to keep particularly private, the person explained.

Advertisers will get access to these AdIDs, as long as they adhere to the terms of the program. However, users may be able to change the list of approved advertisers, through controls in the browser, to exclude specific firms, the person added.

What do you guys think of Google's potentially elegant solution?

 

[kodiak799]

Elegant solution for whom? For Google as an end-around to people who've learned to deal with cookies and blocking ads, or for the user?

 

[johnomaz]

This also doesn't mean that all ad companies will use it. Cookies have been an issue for what, over a decade. I personally don't want anything tracking my internet whereabouts, anonymous or not. I understand that is big revenue for companies, but that doesn't mean they have the right to just do it because they can.

 

[leeshor]

They used to call something very similar "WEB beacons" Some are still being used by WEB sites to let them know you visited without needing a cookie.

Google Analytics, which many companies depend on to determine where their WEB traffic is coming from and count visitors etc, does not work without cookies. In other words you don't count if cookies are off or denied.

 

[xsylus]

Perhaps they should also work on a more secure way of storing passwords in Chrome. :disappointed:

 

[mountainbikermark]

It would still go through cyberdine, oops I meant Google, though.

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