Google Updates Privacy Policy, Reflects Shifts In Ad Biz

Google has alerted advertisers and publishers to changes prompted by shifts in its advertising ecosystem to advance privacy in a variety of platforms. 

One shift refers to advances in privacy-enhancing technologies (PETs) such as on-device processing, trusted execution environments, and secure multi-party computation. These have unlocked new ways for brands to manage and activate their data safely and securely. 

The company has been working to integrate PETs such as confidential computing into its advertising products to help businesses adapt their ads and measure results to securely use their first-party data without re-identifying users.

The most recent example of PETs is Google's confidential matching announcement in September.

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The second shift is the rise of new ad-supported devices and platforms such as connected TV (CTV). Google believes that businesses that advertise on CTV platforms require the ability to connect with relevant audiences and understand the effectiveness of their campaigns.

The policy goes into effect on February 16, 2025.

Jon Halvorson, global senior vice president, consumer experience & digital commerce, Mondelez, told Google that while the industry already commonly uses IP addresses to reach audiences and measure campaigns on new platforms like CTV, this update opens more opportunities while respecting user privacy.

Google’s letter is intended to clarify as well as centralize activities the company prohibits to better protect users. One way, for example, is to restrict ads that simulate operating system warnings with the intention of deceiving users.

Data signals like IP addresses offer marketers opportunities to connect with relevant audiences, and help them understand the effectiveness of their campaigns, especially in a fragmented space like CTV. IP addresses are already commonly used today for ad targeting and measurement.

Given recent shifts in the ecosystem, Google will relax restrictions on the use of data signals like IP addresses for ad relevance and measurement, where previously there was an overall prohibition on use.

Advertisers and publishers are still required to remain transparent with users about the data they collect and how it is used. This means Google will set its own high bar to use privacy-preserving measures to handle data securely and safely. 

The company also encourages responsible data use as the new standard across the web, so it is partnering with the ad industry to help make “privacy enhancing technologies” more accessible.

Google says that as technologies change, its privacy principles remain the same. It will continue to give users choice over personalized ads, and continue to require advertisers and publishers to be fully transparent with users about the data they collect and how it is used. 

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