The Android privacy sandbox feature is worth looking forward to

The Android privacy sandbox feature is worth looking forward to

The Android privacy sandbox feature is worth looking forward to. 

Make Android ads disappear with one click! The Android privacy sandbox feature is worth looking forward to.

Google is taking another shot at system ads. On Wednesday, Google announced the launch of the “Android Privacy Sandbox” feature, and said it would introduce “more private advertising solutions” for Android through a multi-year effort to ensure user privacy.

Last year, Apple introduced the App Tracking Limit feature ATT in iOS 14.5, which was well received by many users.

This feature has paid off so much that the famous “advertising company” Meta is said to have lost $10 billion in advertising revenue as a result.

According to data released by advertising effectiveness evaluation company Tenjin, in June after the launch of the AT&T feature, iOS mobile advertising revenue fell by about a third, while Android advertising revenue increased by 10% in the same period.

In the fourth quarter of 2021, the digital advertising business brought Google $61 billion in revenue (about buying an Activision Blizzard). So why does Google, which relies on ads, limit Android ad tracking? How does the privacy sandbox feature work?

One-click “Deadvertising” for Android

At present, each Android device is assigned an “advertising ID” as a unique identifier. This advertising ID collects the advertisement files of each Android user. Developers can read the content of this ID to accurately push the advertisements to users. advertise.

However, there is a risk of user privacy leakage in this process, and malicious apps can piece together the user’s sensitive information and even master the user’s true identity.

According to Google’s thinking, the privacy sandbox feature will use some new more privacy-friendly mechanisms instead of advertising IDs.

“Our goal is to introduce new, more private advertising solutions,” explained Anthony Chavez, vice president of product management for the Android Security and Privacy team, in a post.

Specifically, these solutions will limit the sharing of user data with third parties and not use cross-app identifiers, including advertising IDs. We’re also exploring more stealthy data collection techniques, including safer ways to integrate apps with ad SDKs.

Google has not announced the specific technical method, and the beta version of the privacy sandbox function will not be released until the end of 2022, and the official launch will be within two years.

However, users can delete the advertising ID now. Google has previously provided an advertising ID reset entry. Devices running Android 12 can follow “Settings > Privacy > Advertising > Delete Advertising ID” to set up.

Google’s conspiracy

Apple’s ATT function is user-oriented and gives users the right to choose.

The strategy of Google’s privacy sandbox is very different. It is more like a new advertising ecology colluding with developers and advertisers.

The launch of Apple’s ATT quickly sent shockwaves through the tech industry, with a huge impact on Facebook, Snapchat and YouTube’s revenue.

As we all know, YouTube is a company owned by Google. Google’s business model determines that the Android privacy sandbox feature cannot become the next Apple ATT-level product, and its launch is more based on concerns about antitrust litigation.

Google faces a series of antitrust lawsuits around the world alleging unfair auctions for digital ads on its platform. In this case, Google further prohibits competitors from running ads on Android, and it is sure to face more lawsuits.

Google hopes to unite with large development companies to redefine which ads are safe and allowed, on the one hand to ensure developers have a stable source of income, and on the other hand to bring privacy protection to Android users.

In Google’s view, this is a best of both worlds deal, with developers and operators such as Snap, Activision Blizzard, and Duolingo already involved in the development of the Android privacy sandbox feature.

The Android Privacy Sandbox will be a long-term project and is expected to be tested through a developer preview in 2022, a beta version by the end of this year, and a large-scale test in 2023.