Google “Privacy Sandbox” Project Aims At Better Privacy, Limited Data Collection

Google has revealed that it plans to give Android users additional privacy by prohibiting monitoring across apps on Android devices similar to Apple last year. Apple has added a new privacy option to iOS that allows users to opt-out of cross-site and cross-app tracking and targeting. In the following two years, Google promises to deliver something similar.

"Privacy Sandbox" Project Resembles Apple's ATT Privacy Feature

In a blog post, the company revealed "Privacy Sandbox," a multi-year project that will make it extremely challenging for advertisers to monitor Android users across many mobile apps. Privacy Sandbox will essentially restrict the amount of data exchanged with third-party apps, making it impossible for advertisers to create a user profile for targeted advertising.

Apple's new privacy feature, which debuted with iOS 14.5 in 2021, is very identical to this new project. The framework is known as the App Tracking Transparency Framework (ATT). It mandates that all apps on an iPhone or iPad ask users for authorization to track them across multiple apps and websites. Big companies like Facebook have been rattled by this privacy feature.

Google Emphasizes On Limiting Data Collection

The parent company of the social media giant, Meta, recently disclosed that the privacy update has cost them money and that they would continue to lose money because the feature prohibits users' data from being collected, preventing them from being tracked and served adverts. In 2022, Facebook's parent corporation expects its ad revenue to be impacted as well.

It was estimated that the corporation will lose $10 billion in revenue this year as a result of the privacy reform. According to a Financial Times report, other businesses such as Twitter and YouTube were also impacted by this change because their revenue derives from targeted adverts as well.

On the other hand, Google's Privacy Sandbox differs from Apple's privacy feature. By default, it strives to limit tracking. Currently, Google assigns a unique ID to each Android phone, allowing advertisers to create profiles based on a user's smartphone activities. They are then shown highly targeted adverts as a result. So now you know why you see adverts for those products or services in various areas when you seek or shop for something online from your phone.

Privacy Sandbox Would Moderate Data Sharing

Google is attempting new and better ways to serve advertisers with the new endeavor, as it intends to totally remove such IDs, according to a blog post by the company. The project "Privacy Sandbox" will help mitigate the sharing of user data with third parties and function without cross-app identifiers, particularly advertising ID.

In unveiling the Privacy Sandbox project, Google also made a dig at Apple's ATT architecture. "Blunt approaches are proving ineffectual," the business writes in a blog post, adding that "other platforms have taken a different approach to advertisements privacy, simply banning existing technology used by developers and advertisers."

Google goes on to say that its new initiative would ensure that customers know their data is safe, and developers and companies have the tools they need to flourish on mobile.