Privacy is seemingly the largest issue parading us into the new year and it’s still a hot topic in many discussions. Most recently pertaining to Google and its use of cookies to track you when you surf the web.

It’s important to note that Safari and Firefox browsers have already done away with third-party cookies. However, Chrome is still the world’s most popular browser. A lot of people, according to research could care less a few years ago. Add this to the seamlessness of using Chrome across your devices, this makes it a must-have.

However, after some deep diving into the information, Google collects, based solely on how you surf the web, we need to be wary. Thus comes the introduction of a new system that Google is planning to use to stop ‘needing’ cookies. They are devising a way to effectively target advertisements without knowing too much about any individual person.

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Google Cookie (Less) System

The system is called FLoC. Results indicate that when it comes to generating interest-based audiences, it can provide an effective replacement signal for third-party cookies.” Google plans to begin testing the FLoC approach with advertisers later this year with its Chrome browser.

“This approach effectively hides individuals ‘in the crowd’. It uses on-device processing to keep a person’s Web history private on the browser,” Google product manager Chetna Bindra explained in unveiling the system called Federated Learning of Cohorts (FLoC).

Is Change Significant?

Some kinds of cookies are a convenience for logins and browsing at frequently visited sites. However, other kinds of cookies are seen by some as nefarious. All I know is that you don’t need to know what everyone has ever done just to serve them an ad.

Advertising based on context can be effective; an example being someone looking at recipes at a cooking website being shown ads for cookware or grocery stores.