We all know that the number of possibilities on our mobile devices and the internet are near endless, especially with the amount of free content that we can access. Currently, over 90% of all apps on Google Play are free, meaning that billions of users around the world can access unlimited content and services online.
Digital marketing plays one of the most significant roles in allowing this to happen by ensuring that businesses still profit from launching their app to customers free of charge. But in order to ensure that users, developers, and businesses still benefit from free apps – the industry must continuously evolve how digital advertising works to improve user privacy.
Today, Google has announced a multi-year initiative to build the Privacy Sandbox on Android, with the main goal of supporting mobile advertising whilst enhancing user privacy. The plan will introduce new, more private advertising solutions that will limit the sharing of user data with 3rd parties and operate with cross-app identifiers, including advertising ID. Google is also exploring technologies that block covert data tracking techniques like fingerprints, which includes safer ways for apps to integrate with advertising SDK’s (software development kits).
What is The Privacy Sandbox?
The Privacy Sandbox on Android aims to strengthen privacy while providing the tools app developers need to support and grow their business. It will build on existing privacy efforts and introduce new technology to develop effective and privacy-enhancing advertising solutions, all whilst ensuring that online content remains free to users.
In summary, the main aims for the new privacy sandbox include:
- To build new technology to keep user information more secure and private
- To allow publishers and developers to keep online content free
- To collaborate with the new industry to build new privacy standards
From February 17th, Google’s design proposals will be available for developers to access on the Android developer website. Developers can provide constructive feedback on the proposed solutions and contribute to the development of better user privacy standards for apps. Throughout the multi-year plan, Google will regularly release updated proposals based on the feedback that they receive.
Google has stated that they have already received enquiries from many partners about working together to improve privacy on Android. Working with different partners across the industry will give the plan a better chance to succeed as feedback can be made from all different angles, which will help to continuously improve and develop the plan over the next coming years.
The release of the Privacy Sandbox on Android is a crucial part of Google’s mission to raise the standards for user privacy. It will provide businesses and developers with the necessary tools they need to ensure that they succeed. If Google is following in the footsteps of Apple then tracking for advertising platforms has been quite tricky across iOS devices. However, Googles main focus is to support mobile advertising whilst enhancing privacy, in turn, this should hopefully help the tracking of Google Pay Per Click and allow advertisers to still advertise with confidence.
