Google Chrome coders really, truly, absolutely ready to cull
third-party cookies from 2024

Bonfire of the web trackers is coming, industry ready or not

Google on Monday began the formalities of phasing out third-party
cookies from Chrome during the first quarter of 2024, signaling the
beginning of the end for legacy online advertising.

It will be a baby step, with just one percent of Chrome browsers
tossing their third-party cookies initially. That's still a
significant number, given estimates of 3 billion or so Chrome users.
And in any event, it's a milestone that marks a major transition for
the internet economy.
...
...
Other browser makers such as Apple, Brave, and Mozilla have already
begun blocking third-party cookies by default. Google Chrome and
Microsoft Edge provide that option, just not out of the box.
...
Since 2019 - after it became clear that European data protection rules
would require rethinking how online ads work - Google has been
building a set of ostensibly privacy-preserving ad tech APIs known as
the Privacy Sandbox. The stated goal of this toolkit is to mitigate
ongoing privacy problems like cross-site tracking and browser
fingerprinting while preserving the ability to deliver targeted ads.

One element of the sandbox is the Topics API: that allows websites to
ask Chrome directly what the user is interested in, based on their
browser history, so that targeted ads can be shown. Thus, no need for
any tracking cookies set by marketers following you around, though it
means Chrome squealing on you unless you tell it not to

https://www.theregister.com/2023/11/14/google_chrome_devs_third_party_cookie/

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On 2023-11-16, JAB <[email protected]d> wrote:

Google Chrome coders really, truly, absolutely ready to cull
third-party cookies from 2024

...

One element of the sandbox is the Topics API: that allows websites to
ask Chrome directly what the user is interested in, based on their
browser history, so that targeted ads can be shown. Thus, no need for
any tracking cookies set by marketers following you around, though it
means Chrome squealing on you unless you tell it not to

As usual, what initially looks like a win for the user will soon reveal
itself to be a competition-freezing win for Google. Whatever they're
building, you'll only be able to access that data through Google meaning
other browsers or ad servers won't be able to compete. Third party
cookies are being phased out because they're not needed any more.

Consider the sale of your data to be an ongoing, lucrative business for
Google, 3rdp cookies be damned.

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On Thu, 16 Nov 2023 14:26:25 GMT, Retrograde
<[email protected]d> wrote:

Consider the sale of your data to be an ongoing, lucrative business for >Google, 3rdp cookies be damned.

I don't believe European nations will allow your "data" to be
sold/used.

I believe only generic info about an user will be available, where
advertisers don't know who you are/etc.

Federal lawmakes could act, but apparently, they want law-enforcement,
etc, to have access. Of course, Google/etc., make money with law
enforcement and Intel requests.

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On 11/16/2023 9:26 AM, Retrograde wrote:

On 2023-11-16, JAB<[email protected]d> wrote:

Google Chrome coders really, truly, absolutely ready to cull
third-party cookies from 2024

...

One element of the sandbox is the Topics API: that allows websites to
ask Chrome directly what the user is interested in, based on their
browser history, so that targeted ads can be shown. Thus, no need for
any tracking cookies set by marketers following you around, though it
means Chrome squealing on you unless you tell it not to

As usual, what initially looks like a win for the user will soon reveal itself to be a competition-freezing win for Google. Whatever they're building, you'll only be able to access that data through Google meaning other browsers or ad servers won't be able to compete. Third party
cookies are being phased out because they're not needed any more.

Consider the sale of your data to be an ongoing, lucrative business for Google, 3rdp cookies be damned.

To heck with Google. DuckDuckGo and Firefox here, exclusively.

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On 2023-11-17, Michael Trew <[email protected]> wrote:

Consider the sale of your data to be an ongoing, lucrative business
for Google, 3rdp cookies be damned.

To heck with Google. DuckDuckGo and Firefox here, exclusively.

It's getting hard to avoid them. DNS, local fiber, gmail, Android, the
Chrome browser, and I can only imagine they are a big consumer and
seller of user profile data. Changing your search engine is no longer
the only step needed, in fact it's one of many.

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Retrograde wrote:

On 2023-11-17, Michael Trew <[email protected]> wrote:

Consider the sale of your data to be an ongoing, lucrative

business >> for Google, 3rdp cookies be damned.

To heck with Google. DuckDuckGo and Firefox here, exclusively.

It's getting hard to avoid them. DNS, local fiber, gmail, Android,
the Chrome browser, and I can only imagine they are a big consumer
and seller of user profile data. Changing your search engine is no
longer the only step needed, in fact it's one of many.

A VPN should be the first rule of using the internet.

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On 11/17/2023 11:37 PM, Retrograde wrote:

On 2023-11-17, Michael Trew<[email protected]> wrote:

Consider the sale of your data to be an ongoing, lucrative business
for Google, 3rdp cookies be damned.

To heck with Google. DuckDuckGo and Firefox here, exclusively.

It's getting hard to avoid them. DNS, local fiber, gmail, Android, the Chrome browser, and I can only imagine they are a big consumer and
seller of user profile data. Changing your search engine is no longer
the only step needed, in fact it's one of many.

Myself, I don't use any of the above, and I also don't have a smart
phone. The only "Google" product I cheat with is YouTube, but I don't
sign into it. I haven't since they bought YouTube, circa 2009?

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JAB wrote:

On Sat, 18 Nov 2023 05:41:59 +0100, "Blueshirt"
<[email protected]> wrote:

A VPN should be the first rule of using the internet.

A "trusted" VPN...I've heard some will sell your data...

There's no such thing as a free lunch...

But yes, a proper paid VPN service, like Nord or Express.

Nord VPN have a good Black Friday deal offer on at the moment, for
anyone interested.

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On Sat, 18 Nov 2023 05:41:59 +0100, "Blueshirt"
<[email protected]> wrote:

A VPN should be the first rule of using the internet.

A "trusted" VPN...I've heard some will sell your data...

=============================
Study: How the most popular free VPNs use your data

Wondering what data free VPNs store and exactly what they do with this
data? This guide will tell you everything you need to know, including
how to protect yourself from the potential threats of free VPNs.
...
...
...
Yes, free VPNs are allowed to sell your data. While they'll rarely
make it plain and obvious that they're doing so, it will be addressed
in their terms and conditions. Of course, you accept these terms and
conditions when signing up for the free VPN service. Not all free VPN
providers sell your data but may do

https://www.comparitech.com/blog/vpn-privacy/free-vpn/

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On Thu, 16 Nov 2023 14:26:25 GMT
Retrograde <[email protected]d> wrote:

As usual, what initially looks like a win for the user will soon reveal itself to be a competition-freezing win for Google. Whatever they're

And here we go, the plot thickens: https://www.theregister.com/2023/11/18/google_kills_legacy_extensions/

SPECIAL REPORT Web advert blockers and other Chrome extensions will
stop working by June 2024 unless they've been revamped to keep up with
Google's changes to its ubiquitous browser.

And even then, if those content-filtering extensions have been updated
to meet Google's latest specifications and requirements, the add-ons
may not work as well or as comprehensively as they did previously.

Today those Chrome extensions by and large adhere to an API
specification known as Manifest V2: that's what they use to, for
example, inspect pages for stuff to filter out. Googlers feel that API
puts too much power in the hands of extension developers: someone could
make an add-on that offers to do things like block annoying ads on a
page, and then later use those powers to steal or manipulate sensitive
data on your internet profiles.

The Chocolate Factory's answer to this was to develop Manifest V3,
which has been supported by Chrome for a while now: it's an alterative
way for extensions to drill into pages and filter out bad content, for instance. Google says V3 is safer - giving users more protection from
wayward extensions - but some developers argue the switch from V2 to V3 cripples their extensions and makes them less effective. That would
mean less effective ad blocking.

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The Best VPN Services for 2023

Using a VPN, or virtual private network, is one of the best ways to
protect your online privacy. We've tested and reviewed dozens of them,
and these are our top picks.


https://www.pcmag.com/picks/the-best-vpn-services

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On Sun, 19 Nov 2023 04:10:37 +0100, "Blueshirt"
<[email protected]> wrote:

There's no such thing as a free lunch...

October 5, 2021

When your VPN is a matter of life or death, don't rely on reviews

If you believe that the only thing standing between you and death,
abuse, persecution, or imprisonment is the VPN you're using, you must
read this article now.
...
...
Follow the money

You may have noticed that VPN reviews are hugely prevalent all over
the internet.

This is because:

(A) There's a lot of interest in VPNs, especially now that people are
working from home more often.

(B) Because VPN vendors pay so-called objective media outlets to
promote them. This is worthy of some detailed discussion.

https://www.zdnet.com/article/when-your-vpn-is-a-matter-of-life-or-death-dont-rely-on-reviews/

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