Google announced that it has launched a “multi-year initiative to create the Privacy Sandbox on Android with the aim of delivering new, more tailored advertising solutions.”
The Privacy Sandbox initiative consists of a series of proposals that will become a set of open standards that Google hopes the industry will adopt. Last year, one of the key approaches Google pursued was the FLoC system, which groups people with thousands of other users with similar browsing histories. It was replaced last month by the Topics API, which allows Chrome to use your browsing history to provide publishers with a list of five topics it has determined you’re interested in, again based on your browsing history.
In yesterday’s announcement, Anthony Chavez, vice president of product management for Android security and privacy, said, “The considered solutions will limit the sharing of user data with third parties and will work without cross-app identifiers,” and that includes advertising IDs. “We’re also investigating technologies that reduce the potential for confidential data collection, including more secure ways to integrate apps with ad SDKs,” says Chavez.
However, there is no clear method currently being implemented and Google is in the design and testing phase. Starting today, the company says developers can “review initial design proposals and share feedback on the Android developer site.”
Google plans to release developer previews throughout the year, with a beta release by the end of the year. Google also promises “regular updates to designs and timelines.” The company says it will continue to “support existing ad platform features for at least two years” and aims to provide “significant notice before future changes.”
Chavez also referred to Apple’s approach to app tracking transparency on iOS, acknowledging that “other platforms take a different approach to ad privacy.” However, Chavez described this approach as “clearly restricting existing technologies used by developers and advertisers.” The company believes it still needs to provide a way for businesses to serve targeted ads to users and make sure those ads are relevant.
Chavez said, “We know that we need input from all over the industry for this initiative to be successful,” while the company also included statements from many partners in its statement released today. These include Snap, Duolingo, Rovio, Activision Blizzard, and seven other app makers that each express similar sentiments in respecting the privacy needs of Android app users.
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