How is Google Following Apple’s Consumer Privacy Push?

In 2021, Apple changed the consumer privacy landscape. When Apple updated its operating system, users of Apple devices found themselves being asked whether they would give apps permission to track their behavior – in other words, an opt-in approach to privacy. Under the old approach, users had to opt out if they did not want their behavior tracked. This change has had a dramatic impact on the advertising landscape As many as 62 percent of users have opted out. Apps such as Meta that rely on tracking user behavior and serving up targeted ads have needed to come up with alternative approaches to personalizing their ads. When Meta recently announced that the Apple privacy control – known as Application Tracking Transparency – was going to cause a $10 billion loss in its ad revenue, Meta’s stock suffered a historic drop. Well, it turns out that Apple isn’t the only technology company enacting an opt-in approach to consumer privacy. Google recently announced that the company is going to do the same thing. 

What Google Announced 

On February 16, Google said in a blog post that it is working on privacy measures that will limit the sharing of data on smartphones running its Android software. Its blog post said, “Specifically, these solutions will limit sharing of user data with third parties and operate without cross-app identifiers, including advertising ID. We’re also exploring technologies that reduce the potential for covert data collection, including safer ways for apps to integrate with advertising SDKs.” 

Advertising ID is a tracking feature within Android that helps advertisers know whether users clicked on an ad or bought a product as well as keep tabs on their interests and activities. As reported in The New York Times, Google said it already allowed users to opt out of personalized ads by removing the tracking identifier. In addition, Google will eliminate identifiers used in advertising on Android for everyone, including Google. Thanks to pressure from U.K. regulators, Google is going out of its way to show that it will not give preferential treatment to Google products  

Google was clear about two things: 

• The company will make it harder for apps to track user behavior across the Android operating system – just like Apple is doing on iOS. 
• Google won’t be as disruptive as Apple has been. In a dig against Apple Google said, ​​“We realize that other platforms have taken a different approach to ads privacy, bluntly restricting existing technologies used by developers and advertisers. We believe that — without first providing a privacy-preserving alternative path — such approaches can be ineffective and lead to worse outcomes for user privacy and developer businesses.” And just in case you didn’t get the point, Google’s post hyperlinked to an article about Application Tracking Transparency. 

Google also said that developers could review its initial design proposals and share feedback on the Android developer site. “We plan to release developer previews over the course of the year, with a beta release by the end of the year,” Google wrote. But Google plans to keep its existing approach in place for the next two years. 

What Google’s Announcement Means 

Google’s announcement is the company’s latest attempt to Google is evolving with the times. We’re living in a more privacy-centric world now, and Google wants to apply privacy controls before someone makes them do so. As I blogged here, legislators around the world are putting more pressure on businesses everywhere to protect consumer privacy, as we have seen with the advent of General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in Europe and California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) in the United States. This legislation is all about giving consumers more control over their data. In addition, consumers are becoming more aware of how their data is used in advertising online. Google is at the center of this discussion because digital advertising is a multi-billion dollar industry. Google needs to protect its interests – it is the largest online ad platform in the world – which is why Google is being so proactive about ushering in new tools for advertisers with the onus of regulation looming. 

But unlike Apple, Google has a multi-billion dollar advertising business to protect. This is why Google is taking a more cautious “do no harm” approach with its new privacy controls. In an interview with The New York Times, Anthony Chavez, a vice president at Google’s Android division (and author of the blog post cited above), said that Google’s goal is to find a more private option for users while also allowing developers to continue to make advertising revenue. According to The New York Times, 

Mr. Chavez said that if Google and Apple did not offer a privacy-minded alternative, advertisers might turn to more surreptitious options that could lead to fewer protections for users. He also argued that Apple’s “blunt approach” was proving “ineffective,” citing a study that said the changes in iOS had not had a meaningful impact in stopping third-party tracking. 

Google is trying to have it both ways: improve consumer privacy controls and protect its own advertising business. 

What Businesses Should Do 

Brands need to be focused on decreasing their reliance on any third-party data providers and building their own first-party data as the momentum behind privacy laws continues to accelerate and erode the marketplace. 

To deliver a first-party driven approach brands must: 

• Build a foundational customer data pipeline for your business (real-time, channel independent, trusted) 
• Collect every first-party interaction with consent, rely on more accurate data 
• Integrate data into the marketing and analytics tools to deliver customer-first experiences 

We recommend that brands do these things today: 

• Build a solid first-party data core. Capture and integrate durable first-party ID’s via server-side tools.  Enable collection and matching across all owned online/offline systems and partner platforms. 
• Adapt Digital Media and Measurement Strategies to reduce dependency on cookie-based targeting and streamline analytics across data sources. 
• Develop a strong digital value exchange. Enhance digital resources to provide the most personalized experience as possible.  Current and future customers will be more likely to opt into exchanging data through a strong value exchange. 

If you work with a partner to manage your advertising and personalization approaches, make sure you understand your partner’s strategy for making the transition. Work closely with them. At Investis Digital, we collaborate with our clients to manage content (both advertising and organic) and protect consumer privacy amid this rapidly changing environment. We also closely follow privacy legislation. We subject ourselves to third-party audits for data privacy and security that go far beyond what you will see from other communications firms. We actively deploy solutions to help our clients maximize engagement with their audience, while respecting a newfound demand for privacy. 

Contact Investis Digital 

To learn how you can succeed in a privacy-first world, learn more about our Reporting & Analytics services here or  contact us here. We know the terrain and how to help. 

Related Investis Digital Content 

“How and Why Google Is Embracing Consumer Privacy,” Paul Headley, February 15, 2022. 

“Potential Implications of Google’s War Against Third-Party Cookies,” Paul Headley, Investis Digital, April 13, 2021. 

“Important Steps When Considering a Cookie Manager,” Stu White, Investis Digital, December 9, 2020.  

“Why Toxic Cookies Are Killing Your Reputation,” David Corchado, Investis Digital, November 18, 2020.  

“The Problem with Privacy,” David Corchado, Investis Digital, July 28, 2020. 

“Why the CCPA Is a Challenge for Businesses,” David Corchado, January 21, 2020. 

“Five Questions to Ask about Respecting Consumer Privacy,” David Corchado, December 4, 2019. 

“Vueling Airlines Cookie Fine Demonstrates the Costs and Complications of GDPR Compliance,” David Corchado, October 30, 2019. 

“What Is the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA)?” David Corchado, September 3, 2019. 

“Keeping up with GDPR, PECR and the evolving privacy and data protection landscape,” David Corchado, August 28, 2019.