Google faces a complaint from Austrian advocacy group NOYB for allegedly tracking users of its Chrome browser. The complaint, filed with the Austrian data protection authority, claims that Google's Privacy Sandbox tools, intended to block covert tracking and limit data sharing, still allow the company to track users without proper consent. NOYB argues that users were misled into accepting first-party ad tracking, violating EU privacy rules.
Key Points
- Privacy Sandbox: Google's initiative to phase out third-party cookies and introduce tools to block covert tracking while allowing ad measurement without individual tracking.
- User Consent: NOYB asserts that Google should seek explicit user consent for tracking, as required by EU privacy regulations.
- NOYB's Position: The group claims that Google's approach is neither informed, transparent, nor fair, thus illegal under EU rules.
- Google's Defense: Google argues that the Privacy Sandbox APIs, including the Topics API, offer significant privacy improvements over third-party cookies and that they are working with global regulators to ensure balanced outcomes.
Statements
- Max Schrems (NOYB Founder): Criticized Google for misleading users into accepting tracking under the guise of a privacy feature.
- Google Spokesperson: Defended the Privacy Sandbox as a privacy-enhancing tool and emphasized ongoing engagement with regulators to balance user privacy and industry needs.
