Demystifying Analytics and Attribution in the Cookie-less Future.
If you need a refresher, we cover how attribution plays a crucial role with websites in our guide on website attribution applications article.
In this article, we cover how Google is trying to roll out a default Privacy Sandbox feature to all users.
What is cookieless attribution?
The process of user attribution has become more complicated with the demise of third-party cookies. Both the advertising platform and the site displaying the ad must explicitly configure user attribution to accurately track user behavior. However, while doing so, user privacy must be maintained, and any possibility of user identity fingerprinting must be prevented. To achieve this, the user’s browser stores events related to the attribution. Once a conversion occurs, the browser reports this event to the advertiser, using cryptographic methods to prevent any fraud.
It’s worth noting that first-party-only partitioned cookies do not prevent the IP address from being exposed. A concern currently mandated by GDPR. This issue may be mitigated with the implementation of IPV6, since the extra avaliable addresses would aid in anonymization efforts.
Cookie partitioning has been around for some time, with proposals and settings implemented in the browser. You can read this MDN article for more information.
How does cookieless change things?
In the past, with cookies, this has been achieved by delegating the responsibility to the advertising platform. By permitting them to create a file in the user’s browser. The issue is that the advertising platform may access the files created from one domain in the context of another domain. Thereby permitting the advertising platform to track users across the web.
In short, it stops third-party cookies and forces any cookies to be sent to the first party only. However, this does not prevent PPI exposure. Nor does it allow the user to control the policies that are granted.
Google being the biggest player in the web, changing their default settings is a big concern for many existing implementations.
What is happening with cookieless in 2024?
It is important to note that the specifications for user attribution are still being developed, and nothing is final as of 2024. However, it is expected that by Q3 of 2024, the feature should be turned on for all users. As of Q1 2024, the feature is enabled only for 1% of users. This gradual implementation is necessary to ensure that the system is working as intended and that any issues are addressed before it is rolled out to all users.
The ramp up to 100% of users is subject to addressing any remaining competition concerns of the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA).
Conclusion
You may find more information in our detailed guide to attribution.