A Privacy-First Future Without Third-Party Cookies
As more people are becoming increasingly concerned and aware about how their personal data is being collected and used, it is also becoming evident that users’ trust is crucial in effective digital advertising. Searches for “online privacy” actually grew more than 50% year over year (YOY) globally in 2020.
Asia Pacific (APAC) has varying guidelines across the region. In other words, expectations about consent and privacy will vary from country to country.
Third-party cookies have long been used by brands for tracking and online-advertising purposes. Because consumers move from site to site, it can be difficult for them to control how their information is being used. Even though most web browsers are moving away from third-party cookies, without a privacy-forward alternative in place, can inadvertently lead to more opaque workarounds.
So, to help marketers and publishers gradually phase out third-party cookies, the Chrome team kicked off a set of privacy-focused proposals called the Privacy Sandbox in 2019.
These proposals offer technologies that will ultimately improve user privacy — such as serving personalised ads, detecting fraud, and measuring ads — while continuing to ensure the free and open internet thrives without third-party cookies.
In APAC, the readiness for a future with fewer cookies is as diverse as the regions. Considering how privacy-forward marketing is imperative for the industry, it’s no surprise that education and ongoing conversations are key to engaging the region’s advertisers, adtech companies, and agencies.
It’s important for everyone in the industry to be vigilant in keeping up with the privacy landscape. Joining web community discussions on platforms such as the World Wide Web Consortium’s Improving Web Advertising Business Group is a great way to help shape inclusive solutions. The Chromium Blog is also a handy resource for anyone who’s looking to stay up to date with the Privacy Sandbox. By working together, a more privacy-forward web that benefits marketers, publishers, and users alike might be created.