Google has made millions of its users the targets of a test for a new ad program without informing them, warns a privacy activist group.
The Electronic Frontier Foundation said Google's test trial of its Federated Learning of Cohorts without consent "Is a concrete breach of user trust in service of a technology that should not exist."
Under the program, Google Chrome browsers "Will begin sorting their users into groups based on behavior, then sharing group labels with third-party trackers and advertisers around the web."
EFF said Google "Designed FLoC to help advertisers target ads once third-party cookies go away. During the trial, trackers will be able to collect FLoC IDs in addition to third-party cookies."
"For the trial, Google will default to using every website that serves ads-which is the majority of sites on the web. Sites can opt out of being included in FLoC calculations by sending an HTTP header, but some hosting providers don't give their customers direct control of headers. Many site owners may not be aware of the trial at all," EFF said.
"The [Google] page currently indicates that the trial may last until July 13. Google has also made it clear that the exact details of the technology-including how cohorts are calculated-will be subject to change, and we could see several iterations of the FLoC grouping algorithm between now and then."
The result will be "a test that will share new data about millions of unsuspecting users," which, EFF said, "Is another step in the wrong direction."
https://www.wnd.com/2021/04/google-monitoring-millions-users-without-consent-new-ad-test/
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