By Jonathan Baker The title says it all. Several years ago, Google announced its plan to abolish third-party tracking (a.k.a. “cookies”). Many marketers who had relied on this method went into panic mode. Then, earlier this year, Google reversed course on this decision and these marketers breathed a collective sigh of relief. Now, there’s another reason for them to go into panic mode: Hackers are stealing cookies. A Cybercrime That is Tough to Stop Yes, cookie-stealing is on the rise in the worldwide web. The twofold problem, as covered in Media Post, is the theft of cookies as well as steps and plans to prevent this crime from spreading. Case in point: To prevent theft of user credentials, Google implemented security protection for Chrome 127—only for cybercriminals to bypass this measure with a sophisticated hacking tool. (Through cookies, hackers already have the upper hand and can gain easy access to a user’s apps and devices.) With this development, one may naturally ask: “Why did Google change its decision?” Unforeseen Results of Google’s Decision One reason Google reversed its original goal to eradicate cookies centered on alternatives to third-party tracking. The Privacy Sandbox—which targeted ads without having to collect information about users—resulted in major decreases in ad revenue. Conversely, marketers who forged ahead and developed first-party data strategies reported an increase in revenue, not to mention stronger connections with customers. Given the rise of cookie stealing, the remaining marketers—who were set in their ways or genuinely believed in third-party tracking—will likely give serious thought to changing their strategies. An Irony… Consider the irony: Google’s purpose to end cookies resulted from user concerns and complaints over privacy. The rise of hackers who specialize in stealing cookies—especially after Google’s about face on this—brings privacy issues to a far more drastic level. What then, are possible solutions to add protection against hackers? Attitudes and Practices of Marketers This past summer, ID5, a London-based agency, presented a global report on solutions available to advertisers, publishers, or anyone who could be impacted by the stealing of data connected to cookies. One solution is the implementation of Universal IDs, which were created by ID5. Universal IDs provide stable and encrypted identification, and they bypass the now much riskier process of cookie-syncing. Currently, 85 percent of marketers surveyed in ID5’s report are using Universal IDs, which collectively makes this the most popular (and trusted) solution to cookie theft. At least web browsers, particularly Chrome, have protection to build on. What of other channels? Theft Beyond the Worldwide Web The Media Post article offers a concerning prediction of how user identity and connected third-party data are also vulnerable outside of web browsers. Personal logins of users are also accessible through connected television (CTV), mobile, audio, and gaming devices. With these potential realities, adoption of first-party data strategies looks much more appealing—not to mention safer. The EGC Group continues to monitor changes, upgrades—and yes, even risks—in the digital advertising space. Have you, or are you planning, to discontinue third-party tracking? We will help you plan and execute a first-party data strategy that will be your foundation for a strong relationship between your brand and customers. Get in touch with us to find out how we can help.
