Google is set to implement a major shift in its tracking policies, expanding beyond Chrome and traditional web browsing. Starting February 16, 2025, digital fingerprinting will replace third-party cookies, allowing Google and advertisers to track users across a wider range of devices, including smart TVs, gaming consoles, and other internet-connected platforms. This move has raised serious privacy concerns.
Unlike traditional cookies, which can be cleared or blocked, digital fingerprinting gathers unique data points about a user's device, encompassing software and hardware configurations, browsing behavior, and even typing and mouse movement patterns. This data is combined to create a persistent user profile, making anonymous browsing nearly impossible.
In 2019, Google itself criticized fingerprinting, calling it a violation of user choice. However, the company is now adopting the very practice it previously condemned. This shift has sparked widespread concern about the potential for increased surveillance and the erosion of online privacy.