Chrome notes your topics of interest based on the sites you browse and how often you visit them. Sites can also store info with Chrome about your interests. As you keep browsing, Chrome may be asked to share stored info about ad topics or site-suggested ads to help give you a more personalised ad experience
You can opt out of these features in your Chrome settings at any time < it may be ON as default after Chrome update
These new features will roll out gradually on computers and Android devices
Edit ad privacy settings
On your device, open Chrome.
At the top right, tap More and then Settings.
Tap Privacy and security and then Ad privacy.
Select the ad feature you’d like to turn on or off(toggle them ALL OFF)for android and desktop
it's the privacy sandbox that isn't about privacy 😆
Privacy Sandbox is still all about advertisement. While it is true that it is changing tracking on the Internet, if enabled in Chrome and used by sites, its main purpose is tracking and use for advertising, and not to improve user privacy while online.
more here
@ecksmc
Just don't use Chrome. Use a browser that actually respects your privacy.
@voltronic @ecksmc That's not really an option. Even DuckDuckGo isn't as private as they want you to believe because they have to get their search data from somewhere. They chose Microsoft and Microsoft required certain compromises to do it including not talking about their deal.
Chrome represents a middle ground which might be the best we can reasonably expect.
@ecksmc @voltronic I like Opera on my mobile phone. I'm not that focused on privacy.
@danielbsmith
Chrome is not an acceptable middle ground for me. It's among the worst for respecting your privacy and security.
Opera isn't much better. See here:
@danielbsmith
Also, you can say you're "not that focused on privacy" but still have your personal data compromised while using an app that is known to not respect it. You should care about this. Everyone should.
There are good alternatives out there that do a much better job, and will make you much safer. My recommendations are Brave or LibreWolf for desktop, and Cromite for mobile.
@voltronic @ecksmc I think I've made myself unclear. Privacy is important to me but it's not my top priority. I turn off all of the things in the settings. I use an ad blocker. And that's good enough for me. If I had a government job or other exposure I'd be doing more. 👍
@voltronic @ecksmc I should also mention that my school district has gone Google so I can't really get away from it in practical terms. When I retire in approximately 10 years, I'll revisit this.
@danielbsmith yeah, those of us who are really concerned about data privacy but teaching are in a bind. @voltronic @ecksmc
@ecksmc @voltronic Oh. I didn't know that. But has any ever been found? I assume there are security experts watching it.
not sure about spyware being found
Does Opera Sell Your Data? Is it Safe to Use?
After going through all the reports and articles, it is evident that the privacy concerns related to the Opera browser are completely valid
https://browsertouse.com/blog/23760/does-opera-sell-your-data-is-it-safe-to-use/
@danielbsmith i was a fan of opera years ago till a chinese company bought it
big backlash when that happened >> "Most people know Opera is owned by a Chinese consortium since 2016 and quite possibly embeds spyware"
@voltronic