Arthur T Knackerbracket has processed the following story:
Google has announced plans to allow its business customers to begin "fingerprinting" users next year, and the UK Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) isn't happy about it.
Fingerprinting involves building a user profile using information about a device's software and hardware, rather than the use of something like cookies, for advertisement targeting. Despite publicly claiming in 2019 that fingerprinting "subverts user choice and is wrong," Google has apparently decided it's not that big of a deal if third parties are doing it using Google's own services.
While not mentioning fingerprinting by name in a statement or overview of planned Ad Platform changes for February 16, 2025, Google did state that it would allow partners to use "data signals" including IP addresses, "web beacons … or other identifiers" to build device profiles for better serving ads.
"In the past decade, the way people engage with the internet changed dramatically," Google said to justify the move. The Chocolate Factory cited connected TVs as one device type that needs to serve ads that can't collect user data in the traditional manner.
The ICO doesn't want UK businesses to think they'll be off the hook for relying on fingerprinting, however. ICO executive director of regulatory risk, Stephen Almond, said his office will continue to hold businesses accountable because fingerprinting isn't transparent enough to meet UK privacy standards, and is likely to reduce people's choice over how their data is collected and used.
"We think this change is irresponsible," Almond said. "Businesses do not have free rein to use fingerprinting as they please. Like all advertising technology, it must be lawfully and transparently deployed – and if it is not, the ICO will act."
Almond said the ICO is engaging with Google "on this u-turn in its position." Google confirmed to The Guardian that it was in discussion with the ICO about the shift, but maintains user privacy will be protected despite the change.
Google, which in the past has used the motto "don't be evil" to explain its core philosophy, also reversed course this year on a promise to eliminate third-party cookies from Chrome.
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Lukasz Olejnik opines:
While I once hoped 2017 would be the year of privacy, 2024 closes on a troubling note, a likely decrease in privacy standards across the web. I was surprised by the recent Information Commissioner's Office post, which criticized Google's decision to introduce device fingerprinting for advertising purposes from February 2025. According to ICO, this change risks undermining user control and transparency in how personal data is collected and used. Could this mark the end of nearly a decade of progress in internet and web privacy? It would be unfortunate if the newly developing AI economy started from a decrease of privacy and data protection standards. Some analysts or observers might then be inclined to wonder whether this approach to privacy online might signal similar attitudes in other future Google products, like AI.
[...] What Is Fingerprinting? Device fingerprinting involves collecting information about user devices, such as smartphones or computers, to create a unique identifier, often to track people or their activities as they browse around the web. This data may include IP addresses, browser user-agent strings, screen resolution, or even details like battery discharge rate. Fingerprinting is particularly concerning because it can be passive—requiring no user interaction. Data is collected without the user's knowledge and linked to their device. Upon subsequent browsing, systems can recognize the same visitor, enabling ad tracking or uncovering private information, such as browsing habits.
This form of identification is neither transparent nor user-friendly. Users are often unaware it is happening, and when done without their consent, awareness, or other legal grounds, it breaches laws. Unlike cookies or other mechanisms, such identifiers cannot be easily "cleared," making them especially invasive. Nevertheless, websites, advertising technologies, and others have continued to use them. Remarkably, large technology companies like Apple and Google once vowed not to engage in such practices. This commitment marked a major achievement for privacy, driven by advancements in privacy research and engineering. Large platforms even began competing to enhance user privacy, benefiting users' welfare and reducing the risk of data misuse or leaks. This issue cannot simply be reduced to "Google does this, and the ICO critiques it."
The editorial goes on to describe the Google Ads policy change, discusses why it's drastic, and notes the contradictions it creates.
Originally spotted on Schneier on Security.
Previously: ICO Puts Foot Down on Google's Planned Fingerprinting Change
(Score: 2, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday December 25, @01:51PM
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday December 25, @02:26PM (1 child)
Send Google execs for a short spell in the salt mines.
(Score: 3, Funny) by kazzie on Thursday December 26, @08:05PM
Or the adjacent pepper mines.
Either is fine for seasoned criminals.
(Score: 3, Insightful) by Tork on Wednesday December 25, @06:12PM
In a terrifying number of cases hardware and software that Google has incredible influence on, one way or another.
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