Can blockchain solve Google’s privacy issues?
Google Chrome is about to deactivate third-party cookies, which is regarded by some insiders as the end of a chapter in the Internet era. This technology allows browsers to mark clearer user portraits and creates better conditions for online commercial advertising. However, in recent years, it has been accused of “violating users’ personal privacy”.
On March 3, the news that the Chrome browser will phase out third-party cookies next year was confirmed again. Google’s director of product management, advertising privacy and trusted advertising, David Temkin wrote in the official blog : “Today, we made it clear that once third-party cookies are eliminated, we will not establish alternative identifiers to track personal browsing on the Internet, nor will we use them in our products.”
For Google, which uses a precise commercial advertising model as its main source of profit, the importance of third-party cookies is self-evident. The behavior of disabling cookies was once regarded as “self-decision of meridians”, but is this really the case?
Google has encountered lawsuits and even fines for user privacy issues many times before. Public reports show that on January 21, 2019, due to the mandatory collection of user information, it failed to correctly disclose to users how to collect data through its search engine, Google Maps and YouTube services to display personalized advertisements. Google was punished by France with 50 million euros. Fine; In March 2020, Google was found to be inconsistent with the relevant provisions of Redan’s General Data Protection Regulation and was fined 8 million US dollars; in December of the same year, the French National Information and Freedom Commission announced that it would impose 100 million euros on Google and its subsidiaries Fines on the grounds of collecting traces of users’ Internet access without consent. Google has already penetrated into our lives through the products and services they provide, such as Gmail, Google Maps and Google Search, as well as smart products such as Google Assistant.
The convenience brought by these tools actually comes at the cost of our privacy. Users cannot know which data is collected, and they cannot know which channels the data is resold, making it more difficult to delete these data.
The meaning of blockchain
Blockchain has some characteristics that are inherently suitable for the advertising industry, such as smart contracts and transparent records. Globally distributed nodes can reach consensus, achieve multi-party mutual trust at low cost, and reduce the artificial trust loss in the advertising process.
The distributed ledger technology (DLT) behind the blockchain can ensure data security through encryption, and bring data monetization methods through smart contracts and encrypted currencies. Blockchain technology provides users with a means to encrypt and protect their data, and users can even choose who can access their information.
Blockchain technology can help facilitate data transactions and ensure that buyers and sellers get the benefits they deserve. A decentralized approach is also conducive to creating a fair market for personal data owners, because no entity can easily set market prices.
As far as advertisers are concerned, the problem of false traffic is solved. Advertisers will increase their trust in media purchases, which will naturally increase media purchases and directly increase revenue for the media. At the same time, the media is more transparent to advertisers, advertisers can also save a lot of marketing expenses, and each money orientation is more precise.
For users, using blockchain technology, users can independently choose how to process their own information, sell their information, obtain certain incentives, and better protect user privacy. In addition to enabling users to better control functions, and to completely control the value of data in their hands. This decentralized system can also benefit advertisers. They can access a huge shared pool of related data, which has been reviewed by other participants and verified through links, so that advertising targeting is more accurate and cost-effective.
For the entire system, the blockchain effectively reduces the participation of intermediaries, advertisers can independently monitor and verify the number of advertisement clicks, and users can directly communicate with the media and advertisers, which increases the transparency of the entire system and improves the process. s efficiency. Conversely, improving efficiency can speed up the improvement of the operating process between the three, thereby prompting advertisers, media, and users to form a well-functioning ecosystem.
