Android operating system: Google announces far-reaching changes
Created: 02/19/2022, 12:23 p.m
By: Lisa Mayerhofer
Google announces an extensive, multi-year data protection initiative for its Android operating system.
© Jaap Arriens/Imago
After Apple, Google now also wants to restrict an important function for smartphones.
This could have far-reaching consequences for Facebook.
Mountain View – While the Google group Alphabet was able to increase profits and sales, the Facebook* parent company Meta is struggling with falling profits and dwindling user numbers.
Apple: Data protection change causes billions in lost sales
One of Facebook's biggest problems is an innovation from Apple: on the tech giant's iPhones and iPads, users have had to ask for permission for apps such as Facebook or Instagram to collect data since last year*.
Most users did not agree to the tracking by the apps.
Meta, whose business model is based on selling advertising through data tracking, predicted at the time that this regulation would probably cost the company around $10 billion in sales in 2021.
Google is tightening the reins on privacy
Now Google also wants to tighten the reins on data protection.
Specifically, the tech giant is planning a data protection initiative for its Android operating system.
This threatens Facebook with another massive loss of sales.
The initiative, called
Sandbox
, already includes the Chrome browser and is now to be expanded.
Anthony Chavez, vice president of Android product management, just wrote in a blog post: "Today we are announcing a multi-year initiative aimed at introducing new, more private advertising solutions." Restrict the transfer of user data to third parties and make cross-identifiers work without an app,” says Chavez.
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Google is planning a transition period
The implementation of all changes should take at least two years, the blog post continues.
In addition, the group differentiated itself from Apple's approach: They did not want to restrict existing advertising technologies like "other platforms in a clumsy way".
Online advertising is still an important part, assured Chavez.
App manufacturers are invited to work with Google on a solution for more data protection.
Apple had not given the manufacturers this option.
However, it is no wonder that Google is choosing a gentler path than Apple: The tech giant, like Facebook, earns most of its money from advertising revenue - and, like Facebook, has been criticized for allegations of data protection violations.
It is still questionable whether the group takes the interests of its competitor Facebook into account when implementing the data protection initiative*.
*Merkur.de is an offer from IPPEN.MEDIA
