Google has announced a new method of tracking ads on its popular browser Google Chrome called Topics API.
The update allows web browsers to share information with third parties about a user’s interest while preserving privacy.
The new suite of features represents a fundamental shift in how Chrome will track user data for the benefit of advertisers.
Instead of third-party cookies, Chrome can now tap directly into users browsing history to gather information on advertising “topics”.
According to the company, this was done in response to replacing FLoC with Topics which allows it to target ads while preserving privacy. Topics use an individual’s browsing history to assign topics of interest to them.
Websites can then ask Chrome via its Topics API what a person’s interests are so they can be served specific ads.
While some of these topics are broad, others are quite specific. Topic labels are predefined and include categories like arts and entertainment, or shopping and sports.
Later, a site that you visit can ask Chrome for a few of users’ topics, not their whole browsing history, to personalise the ads that are served to customers online.
