Google disables cookies for 30 million of their users

[GeekyGuy]

https://gizmodo.com/google-just-disabled-cookies-for-30-million-chrome-user-1851137998

This does not feel good. I sense something far worse in play.

 

[Xzi]

This reads as a good thing to me, and also something Google was more forced to do rather than chose to. Who knows for sure, though. I'll be continuing to use Firefox either way.

 

[GeekyGuy]

This reads as a good thing to me, and also something Google was more forced to do rather than chose to. Who knows for sure, though. I'll be continuing to use Firefox either way.

I figured that would be most peoples' response, and that's what concerns me. I just can't see Google adhering to the law. They are one of those companies that make law, not abide it. I have a feeling they will be moving into tech that could possibly be more damaging to the public and the public's privacy and/or independence. They could simply be using so-called "AI-tech" to replace cookies, and that could be a whole other can of nukes.

 

[Xzi]

I just can't see Google adhering to the law. They are one of those companies that make law, not abide it.

As a US-based corporation, they most certainly do not have enough influence to change the laws to be favorable to them in every country. They aren't the first name in big tech to run afoul of EU privacy laws, and all the rest ended up complying. It's also not possible for Google to implement something worse than cookies in "secret," tech Youtubers/Reddit would discover its existence the second the Chrome update was pushed. Not to mention it wouldn't be functional on non-Chromium browsers, as it wouldn't be supported.

 

[SylverReZ]

What a joke.

 

[GeekyGuy]

As a US-based corporation, they most certainly do not have enough influence to change the laws to be favorable to them in every country. They aren't the first name in big tech to run afoul of EU privacy laws, and all the rest ended up complying. It's also not possible for Google to implement something worse than cookies in "secret," tech Youtubers/Reddit would discover its existence the second the Chrome update was pushed. Not to mention it wouldn't be functional on non-Chromium browsers, as it wouldn't be supported.

Seriously?

You might be correct in your thinking with regards to its influence worldwide, though if 30 million users is only 1% of their total user base, that means roughly 1/3 of the world's population uses their browser. But that aside, if their new approach is not something yet negotiated by law, then it's a non-issue for them as of now. And likely something like an A.I. algorithm is not something courts have structured in law.

 

[Dark_Ansem]

ELI5 why it's a bad thing

 

[GeekyGuy]

ELI5 why it's a bad thing

1. Google like money
2. Tracking with cookies make Google money
3. Google starting to not use cookies
4. But Google doing this freely?
5. Google still wants money
6. Google likely came up with an algorithm more invasive to still make money.

 

[JuanMena]

https://gizmodo.com/google-just-disabled-cookies-for-30-million-chrome-user-1851137998

This does not feel good. I sense something far worse in play.

... anyway I'm gonna keep using Google services.

 

[RAHelllord]

https://gizmodo.com/google-just-disabled-cookies-for-30-million-chrome-user-1851137998

This does not feel good. I sense something far worse in play.

Why not just read the article? They already have the replacement built in and ready to go.
The differences are that third-party cookies are getting removed and replaced with a browser built in tracking tool, that then allows Google to sell access to the ad spots a user encounters without sharing the cookies.

Effectively what happens here is that Google still allows the tracking, except it's all in their hands now. If you want to believe them there is a small improvement in privacy due to the information staying inside the user's browser only, and the browser then only communicates a synopsis back that represents the user's advertising profile.

If you are more cynical it's pretty much guaranteed Google will conveniently get a copy of that data for their own use anyway via some backup or sync BS and will use it to subtly strengthen their near monopoly on advertising even more. That's due to the third part advertisers no longer being able to read the data out themselves, they have to go pay Google to get access to it.

 

[HextarVigar]

These are for third-party cookies. Junk.

 

[Viri]

Remember, if the product is free, YOU'RE the product.

 

[Dark_Ansem]

Remember, if the product is free, YOU'RE the product.

I wouldn't say this applies at cookies proper

 

[The Catboy]

I still don’t understand why people are still using Chrome. Hopefully this does escalate to something bad and people finally move away from the shitware.

 

[SylverReZ]

Chrome has always been riddled to the brim with spyware. Showing ads based on their browsing history, while also containing a keylogger that sends anything you type into the search bar to Google.

https://spyware.neocities.org/articles/chrome

 

[Xzi]

Why not just read the article? They already have the replacement built in and ready to go.
The differences are that third-party cookies are getting removed and replaced with a browser built in tracking tool, that then allows Google to sell access to the ad spots a user encounters without sharing the cookies.

Effectively what happens here is that Google still allows the tracking, except it's all in their hands now. If you want to believe them there is a small improvement in privacy due to the information staying inside the user's browser only, and the browser then only communicates a synopsis back that represents the user's advertising profile.

If you are more cynical it's pretty much guaranteed Google will conveniently get a copy of that data for their own use anyway via some backup or sync BS and will use it to subtly strengthen their near monopoly on advertising even more. That's due to the third part advertisers no longer being able to read the data out themselves, they have to go pay Google to get access to it.

Chrome has always been riddled to the brim with spyware. Showing ads based on their browsing history, while also containing a keylogger that sends anything you type into the search bar to Google.

https://spyware.neocities.org/articles/chrome

So yeah, if you hadn't already, switch to a browser which isn't Chromium-based, such as Firefox. Problem solved.

 

[GeekyGuy]

I still don’t understand why people are still using Chrome. Hopefully this does escalate to something bad and people finally move away from the shitware.

Chrome has always been riddled to the brim with spyware. Showing ads based on their browsing history, while also containing a keylogger that sends anything you type into the search bar to Google.

https://spyware.neocities.org/articles/chrome

I don't use Chrome either -- never have -- but I got the sense this wouldn't just affect Chrome users. Most of us still use Google when searching for something on the Web.

 

[Xzi]

I don't use Chrome either -- never have -- but I got the sense this wouldn't just affect Chrome users. Most of us still use Google when searching for something on the Web.

DuckDuckGo is a fine alternative, especially now that SEO often causes Google to return pages of AI-generated nonsense before you finally get to something relevant.

 

[Marc_LFD]

So yeah, if you hadn't already, switch to a browser which isn't Chromium-based, such as Firefox. Problem solved.

I use Brave with several addons so I'll have to find Firefox addons like those again for it.

Haven't used Firefox for many years, but it was and is a superb browser.

 

[Xdqwerty]

This would explain why lately my account was logging off by itself.