Google has begun rolling out an updated Chrome feature designed to build a data-driven user preference profile from browsing history. This profile is then shared with third-party sites to deliver more targeted ads. Users can opt out, according to a summary from a technology portal that tracks browser changes.
Some users have voiced concerns that the feature impinges on privacy rights and could open doors to more invasive monitoring online.
Experts in cryptography and privacy have weighed in. A professor from Johns Hopkins University noted that there is little appeal in a browser that tracks browsing activity to tailor advertisements, arguing that sharing such information with external parties raises serious privacy questions. A prominent tech investor also criticized the technology, describing it as spyware within the advertising ecosystem.
Google maintains that the new capability does not compromise user privacy. The company explains that the generated preference profile does not store personal identifiers and cannot be used to single out an individual. It also emphasizes that users can disable the feature through browser settings.
To disable the feature, users can access chrome settings paths such as chrome settings adPrivacy or chrome settings privacySandbox. There they can turn off the option associated with Ad Topics, effectively stopping the construction and distribution of the preference profile.
There have been broader industry conversations about the safety and governance of Chrome’s privacy tools, including historical critiques of browser practices by tech commentators and industry watchdogs.