Google is working on its own alternative to Apple’s upcoming App Tracking Transparency feature, which will require users’ permission to allow companies to track them or gain access to their devices’ advertising identifiers.
As reported by Bloomberg, Google is in the early stages of working on implementing user protection for data collection and cross-app tracking on Android. However, its anti-tracking feature will “likely” be less strict than Apple’s and won’t have a data tracking opt-in prompt.
It was also reported that Google’s Android anti-tracking feature will “likely” take cues from the Privacy Sandbox, described as “a set of open standards to fundamentally enhance privacy on the web”. The Privacy Sandbox currently has plans to phase out cookies in two years starting from 2020, as well as a technology for targeting ads at groups of people instead of individuals.
A Google spokesperson told Bloomberg, “We’re always looking for ways to work with developers to raise the bar on privacy while enabling a healthy, ad-supported app ecosystem.”
While Google works on its Android alternative, Apple will be rolling out App Tracking Transparency in early spring with iOS 14, iPadOS 14, and tvOS 14.
