Google: There'll Be 'No Backdoors' or Bias

Google rocked the industry last week when it said it would not support alternate identifiers to track individuals across the web or use them in their own products after the demise of third-party cookies. The announcement prompted widespread concern, with many pondering the consequences of Unified ID 2.0, an ad targeting alternative to cookies, which are based on hashed email addresses. The landmark announcement raised more ambiguity, as some wondered if it was a precursor to Google divesting its programmatic tools, while others questioned if it would result in further advantages to Google's own ad stack. However, yesterday, at the IAB's Annual Leadership Meeting, Google advertising chief Jerry Dischler appeared to clarify Google's stance and how the Google Marketing Platform would operate after the demise of cookies. "Nearing expiration" Dischler offered the industry two assurances: Google's ad stack won't have special privileges under its policies without cookies, and publishers using Google Ad Manager will maintain full control over their direct relationships. "The open and free web is threatened due to rapidly changing privacy expectations for people and regulators, and it’s up to us as an advertising industry to save it,” he said. Dischler added that the historic "loose contract of trust" with internet users is "nearing expiration." "We don't believe tracking individuals across the web will stand the test of time," he added. "Privacy preserving technologies" Dischler underscored the rationale for Google going all-in on its Privacy Sandbox initiative, an open-source scheme that includes using Federated Learning of Cohorts (FLoC) as a means of ad targeting to replace third-party cookies. read more: Inside Google Chrome’s Privacy Sandbox Proposals FLoC employs data aggregation techniques within the Chrome web browser and then uses machine learning to optimize ad targeting in a manner that doesn’t involve directly tracking users across the web. “And this should all be supported by first-party, consented data, automation and machine learning,” added Dischler. “There's no substitute for building direct relationships with customers. And the best way to maintain that is with a comprehensive first-party solution that has the appropriate tagging infrastructure.” "No backdoors" Last week’s announcement was specific to Google’s advertiser and publisher products not supporting third-party cookies after 2022. This led some to doubt the viability of targeting tools such as LiveRamp's ATS on AdSense, ad platform Google Ads and demand-side platform DV360. Speaking with Adweek in the aftermath of Google’s March 3 announcement, Tom Kershaw, CTO of Magnite, asked if this would lead to Google having an advantage in future ad auctions on the platform. Those who work with Google Ad Manager will continue to have control over their direct relationshipsJerry Dischler, Google Ad Chief “One clarification I’d like to hear from them is whether or not it means there’ll be no login for DBM [a historic name for Google’s demand side platform], no login for YouTube and no login for Google properties. I’m looking for them to play by the same rules that they so generously foisted upon the rest of the industry,” Kerhsaw said. “We'll be using those APIs for our products just like everyone else and not build any backdoors or special affordances for ourselves,” Dischler said from the IAB stage. At Monday’s IAB session, Dischler moved to dispel such notions adding that upcoming privacy-preserving technologies will apply to everyone equally. “We're not going to block advertisers or publishers from directly connecting through first-party relationships," Dischler said, adding, "Those who work with Google Ad Manager will continue to have control over their direct relationships with buyers and the vendors they choose and will be experimenting with five new solutions to help support the direct deals." read more: Spotlight Shines Brighter On Google’s Dominance Following Latest Privacy Move

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Google: There'll Be 'No Backdoors' or Bias In Privacy Policies

Ad giant offers assurances it won't get in the way

Ronan Shields

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