Google To Implement AdID System To Replace The Cookie

A new report from USA Today, via Engadget, suggests that Google is planning to phase out its cookie system of advertising tracking and targeting. Currently Google, and most other websites, personalise and tweak certain settings and options to a particular user by depositing cookies in the users’ browser sessions. Now Google is apparently trialling an alternative methods of advertising tracking that revolve around the idea of a unique anonymous advertising identifier, or AdID.

The AdID would replace the third party cookies and other archaic types of advertising personalisation and tracking. This new marketing technique could actually benefit consumers by shielding their true identities more effectively and advertisers by offering a simpler more effective method.

There is concern though about Google developing and controlling such a new standard.

“There could be concern in the industry about a system that shifts more of the benefits and control to operators like Google or Apple,” said Clark Fredricksen of eMarketer, which tracks the digital ad industry.

Furthermore advertisers are worried because these unique AdIDs would have systems for blocking targeted adverts, they could even allow people to create secondary AdIDs for when they want to have a private non-tracked user session. Advertisers would get access to these AdIDs through the program, created by Google, but Google would still have the power to control who gets access to them and even exclude certain companies through the terms and conditions of the program and through its own Chrome browser. Of course end users would also have some kind of control too which is what seems to worry advertisers the most.

Image courtesy of Silicon Angle