EFF (Electronic Frontier Foundation) criticized the FLoC API promoted by Google as part of the Privacy Sandbox Initiative. As a reminder, Chrome 89 has begun experimental implementation of a series of APIs that will replace third-party cookies used to track movements. In the future, Google plans to completely remove the use of tracking cookies and to end Chrome support for third-party cookies that are set when visiting sites other than the domain of the current page.
API FLoC (Federated Learning of Cohorts) intended to determine the category of user interests without individual identification and without reference to the history of visits to specific sites. FLoC allows you to highlight groups of users with similar interests without identifying individual users. User interests are identified using “cohorts,” short labels describing different groups of interests. Cohorts are computed on the browser side by applying machine learning algorithms to the browsing history data and content that is opened in the browser. The details remain with the user, and only general information about the cohorts that reflect interests and allow them to deliver relevant ads without tracking a specific user is transmitted outside.
According to EFF, the proposed API can replace some problems with others. If any site can get tags about interests, conditions are created for discrimination of users, depending on their preferences and views, as well as active use of predatory targeting .
Instead of completely abandoning targeting, Google is trying to replace the old targeting with a new targeting method with its own problems. EFF believes that it is up to the user to decide what information to transmit to each site and not worry about the fact that traces of his past activity can be used to manipulate it when opening sites. The implementation of FLoC can lead to information about user behavior being branded from site to site.
Among the new risks are: