Google dragged to UK watchdog over Chrome’s upcoming IP address cloaking::Marketers tell antitrust cops privacy proxy will make it harder to protect kids online, etc etc

  • Lojcs@lemm.ee
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    1 year ago

    “Google’s IP Protection means ISPs will no longer have visibility of data via an IP address whist leaving Google with the ability to monitor and process data at all times”

    Wait, I must twist this in a way people will care

    “This will make the provision of child protection services more difficult for ISPs.”


    Initially, IP Protection will be opt-in, but Google intends to make it the default setting for the Chrome browser.

    Although I’m not a huge fan of compulsory VPN for everyone. A future where only a small amount of people have direct connections from their homes sounds bleak.

  • emmie@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    First time hearing of that ‘micro tor’ google thing. Why are they even doing this? It is so weird for them to do this. There has to be some kind of catch to it right?

    • anteaters@feddit.de
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      1 year ago

      Non-browser ad blockers like the Pi-Hole block all network traffic to known servers that serve ads. Routing all web traffic through Google’s VPN disables this way of adblocking and only leaves in-browser solutions like u-block. And Google’s fight against those within Chrome is ongoing.

    • Franconian_Nomad@feddit.de
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      1 year ago

      They explain this in in an episode of Graham Cluley‘s excellent podcast „Smashing Security“. I think in the episode from October 26th.

  • AutoTL;DR@lemmings.worldB
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    1 year ago

    This is the best summary I could come up with:


    IP Protection, previously referred to as “ip-blindness” or “Gnatcatcher,” is a proxy system similar to Apple’s Privacy Relay.

    MOW objects to this project as a violation of Google’s commitments to the CMA, a set of promises the ad biz made to the UK competition watchdog to win approval for its plan to replace third-party cookies with Privacy Sandbox technologies.

    “Google’s IP Protection means ISPs will no longer have visibility of data via an IP address whist leaving Google with the ability to monitor and process data at all times,” says a letter from MOW’s London-based legal representative Preiskel & Co LLP to the CMA and to UK telecom regulator Ofcom, which was provided to The Register.

    For example, one pseudonymous individual who claims to help advertising clients optimize Google AdWords campaigns says that IP addresses play a critical role in fraud prevention.

    “This is a blatant and egregious breach of the commitments made by Google to the CMA to prevent it acting in an anti-competitive fashion,” said Tim Cowen, co-founder of MOW, in a statement provided to The Register.

    MOW’s letter to the CMA cites specific objections as to why IP Protection contravenes Google’s promises to the agency.


    The original article contains 796 words, the summary contains 198 words. Saved 75%. I’m a bot and I’m open source!