It turns out that Amazon also blocked Google's new system 'FLoC', which is said to be 'worst'

by Marco Verch

A tool called `` FLoC '' under development by Google has been described as ``worst'' by many web services and websites, and has been investigated for antitrust violations before its completion. New research confirms that Amazon is blocking this FLoC on its platform.

Amazon is blocking Google's FLoC — and that could seriously weaken the system
https://digiday.com/media/amazon-is-blocking-googles-floc-and-that-could-seriously-weaken-the-fledgling-tracking-system/

Google announced in 2020 that it plans to remove support for third-party cookies in Chrome within two years. Because third-party cookies play an important role in existing digital advertising, Google is developing new advertising mechanisms to replace third-party cookies. As of 2021, an API called FLoC has already been tested in Chrome, but at the same time, it has also received backlash from many companies and organizations.

The Electronic Frontier Foundation points out that 'FLoC' that Google plans to introduce is the worst - GIGAZINE

WordPress and GitHub have already announced that they will block FLoC on their websites, but according to Digiday 's analysis, Amazon has also inserted code to block FLoC on most of its services. .

Google recommends inserting code into your website's HTTP response headers as a way to block FLoC. Github and other web services exclude websites from FLoC analysis by taking this method. However, although Amazon uses the above method on many websites, the Whole Foods website uses the method of sending an opt-out header from Amazon analytics requests, saying, 'Is it just an oversight or something? It looks like they're doing an experiment,' commented an expert.

Google plans to use FLoC to classify users into cohorts (groups) to track user interests and interests while improving privacy over current methods using third-party cookies. For this reason, it is considered a disadvantage that if an online shopping site like Amazon enables FLoC, it will pass the shopper's data to an external party, Google. On the other hand, the user ID ``FLoC ID'' generated by FLoC includes user data outside Amazon's platform, so there is an advantage in participating in FLoC in the sense that it is possible to know the behavior of users outside Amazon.

However, Amazon is not only an online shopping business, but also an advertising business. As of 2021, Google and Facebook have a large market share in digital advertising, but it is also reported that Amazon's advertising business is growing rapidly. Amazon is expected to develop its own advertising identifier in the future, and is trying to strengthen its demand-side platform (DSP) tools outside of Google's involvement. Choosing to block FLoC is a competitive decision in addition to direct benefits.

Spending on digital advertising increased by 12% in 2020, Amazon is growing like crazy | GIGAZINE.BIZ

Amazon's blocking of FLoC will impose significant restrictions on Google's data collection, experts say.