Google announced that as of February 16, companies that use their advertising products/services can use “fingerprinting” tracking. While Chrome has taken plenty of flack for tracking, this takes it to a new, very different level.
Google itself has previously said that fingerprinting does not meet users’ expectations for privacy, as users cannot easily consent to it as they would cookies. This means you cannot control how your information is collected. To quote Google’s position on fingerprinting from 2019: “We think this subverts user choice and is wrong.”
Why the change now?
In its announcement, Google gave their answer for such fingerprinting – smart TVs, gaming consoles, and streaming services. “Internet users are embracing Connected TV (CTV) experiences, making it one of the fastest growing advertising channels. Businesses who advertise on CTV need the ability to connect with relevant audiences and understand the effectiveness of their campaigns.”
It is cross-platform, cross-device ad tracking. Get ready for a steady stream of ads on your Smart TVs and gaming consoles in 2025.
What is Fingerprinting?
The official definition is: information collected about a remote computing device for the purpose of identification. Fingerprints can be used to fully or partially identify individual users or devices, even when cookies are turned off.
Websites currently use browser fingerprinting to track your online travels. Most sites use this data to personalize the advertisements and information they serve up to you.
Types of Fingerprinting
There are two types of online fingerprinting: browser and device.
A browser fingerprint is a collection of information that a website gathers about a user’s web browser (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge) and other data when they visit the site.
A device fingerprint is similar to a browser fingerprint but goes deeper into your device hardware, whether it’s a workstation, laptop, tablet, or even a cell phone.
Unlike cookies, which can be deleted or controlled through browser security settings, fingerprinting relies on information that persists even if you delete your browsing data. This means that you “may” be unknowingly tracked and identified, undermining your ability to maintain privacy online.
What Information Will Google Be Collecting?
After February 16, Google will collect both browser and device fingerprints and give that information to advertisers and other third parties that use their services. The change to Google’s policy means that fingerprinting, which you can’t fully control or delete, could now replace the functions of third-party cookies, which you can control.
Real-Life Examples of How Fingerprinting Works
When you use a search engine, you leave behind quite a bit of sensitive data, which data brokers collect to sell to interested third parties, like health and life insurance companies. When a data broker sells your data to an insurance company, the insurer may decide you’re a health risk due to the information you looked up, charging you higher rates. *Note: You should stay away from Webmd.com and other types of “medical” sites with Google Chrome.
Online stores can also set your pricing depending on your location. If browser fingerprinting shows that you live in an affluent area, your in-browser pricing may increase – even Target “targets” its customers with different pricing related to their location.
How to Defend Yourself Against Fingerprinting
Right now, it’s not possible to protect yourself entirely from fingerprinting. Hopefully, new software to block browser and device fingerprinting will be developed soon. Until then, here are two easy ways to regain your online privacy.
- Use a Virtual Private Network (VPN).
Using a VPN allows you to hide your IP address. Instead of connecting directly to a web server, you connect to the VPN’s server first, and the VPN will connect you to a website. By doing so, your IP address will be unknown to the webserver. However, your IP address is only one part of your online identity, and a VPN can’t block out your browser settings, version, and other information that will be collected.
- Use a Private Browser.
Google is not it. There are more secure private browsers that are anti-tracking and fingerprinting, such as Firefox, Brave, DuckDuckGo, Vivaldi, Mullvad, and Tor, to name a few. If you’ve been using Chrome for a while and want to switch, I recommend Firefox, Brave, or DuckDuckGo.
Here’s a website to check your current browser “privacy.” https://coveryourtracks.eff.org
A Word About Incognito Mode
Historically, Private Browsing and Incognito Mode were intended to prevent traces of sites you visited from being stored on your machine. It was not meant to prevent remote sites or trackers from identifying and collecting information when you visit a site on their servers.
Google’s Chrome browser does not protect against trackers or fingerprinting in Incognito Mode. Most people don’t realize that Google isn’t a search company anymore – they’re a tracking and advertising company. You are their product.
I realize that living in the digital world like you and I do today, we have to weigh convenience for privacy and determine our level of acceptance. You probably wouldn’t appreciate someone tracking your every move in real life, yet with Google’s new fingerprinting policy, more data brokers can connect your online “life” to your real life. All without ever notifying you or giving you a way to opt out or ask for your consent.
You can read more about this policy change here:
https://www.ghacks.net/2025/01/13/google-allows-advertisers-to-fingerprint-you-for-even-better-tracking/
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