Theoretically, Topics doesn’t track anything beyond general interest categories (e.g. fishing, shoes, technology, dancing, etc) and would replace current data collection systems for targeted ads. If actually implemented as described, it would result in the ad market collecting and sharing less data on users. Basically, Topics is a step in the direction that you’re talking about.
I only see evidence that this replaces FLoC, but not cookies. Even Google’s statements about what cookies and data they collect hasn’t changed. This is a Chrome specific capability. Topics replaces Federated Learning of Cohorts which didn’t use cookies either.
Edit: nevermind. FLoC was a technology that allowed ad data to be collected even when third party cookies are disabled. Essentially it allowed chrome to collect data that Firefox and Safari already blocked when third party cookies are disabled.
So this isn’t replacing cookies at all, just FLoC. And it’s not replacing something “worse”. It’s still totally something that Chrome is collecting without cookies or any need to do so.
Theoretically, Topics doesn’t track anything beyond general interest categories (e.g. fishing, shoes, technology, dancing, etc) and would replace current data collection systems for targeted ads. If actually implemented as described, it would result in the ad market collecting and sharing less data on users. Basically, Topics is a step in the direction that you’re talking about.
I only see evidence that this replaces FLoC, but not cookies. Even Google’s statements about what cookies and data they collect hasn’t changed. This is a Chrome specific capability. Topics replaces Federated Learning of Cohorts which didn’t use cookies either.
Edit: nevermind. FLoC was a technology that allowed ad data to be collected even when third party cookies are disabled. Essentially it allowed chrome to collect data that Firefox and Safari already blocked when third party cookies are disabled.
So this isn’t replacing cookies at all, just FLoC. And it’s not replacing something “worse”. It’s still totally something that Chrome is collecting without cookies or any need to do so.