Google is pushing ahead with its plan to remove widely used tracking technology from its Chrome web browser, despite complaints from competitors who rely on it to target ads on individuals.
Alphabet Inc. unit said. Monday said it is making progress on what it said are privacy-friendly alternatives that could replace third-party cookies, which many advertisers and other companies use to track usage individuals browse across many websites.
Google has announced advanced test results for a technology that analyzes users’ browsing habits on their own devices, without sending sensitive data to key servers. A Google spokesman said results like this mean the company is still on track to stop supporting such cookies in Chrome next year, when it is expected to the new settings will be ready.
Third-party cookies provide potentially valuable data to advertisers for targeting ads, measuring their effectiveness and preventing fraud. But the way they monitor people ‘s personal browsing has long raised privacy concerns, prompting Google to say last year that it would eliminate them in 2022.
Chrome is the most widespread web browser, with more than 60% of the global market, according to Statcounter.