Google’s Fingerprinting Rule: Profit Over Privacy?

Wed Oct 22 2025 13:08:20 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

New rules from Google spark controversy as privacy advocates decry a shift towards less user control over data.

Google's updated policies now permit fingerprinting, allowing online advertisers to gather user information like IP addresses, which critics claim undermines privacy efforts. The change is seen as prioritizing profits over user privacy, raising concerns about a lack of control for internet users.

Google is stirring up controversy with its latest update allowing fingerprinting, a method that enables advertisers to collect extensive data about users, including their IP addresses and device specifics. Critics, including privacy advocates, argue this move shows a blatant disregard for user privacy and prioritizes profits over safeguarding personal data.

Previously, Google opposed fingerprinting, labeling it as a threat to user choice in a 2019 blog. However, they now argue that the shift in internet usage—like smart TVs and gaming consoles—necessitated this change to support ad targeting when conventional methods aren’t effective. Google claims that enhanced privacy options offer users safety.

In response, experts warn that fingerprinting makes it challenging for users to manage their data, giving advertisers access to tracking methods that could expose sensitive information. Martin Thomson from Mozilla pointed out that allowing this kind of tracking makes it harder for users to defend their privacy.

Fingerprinting compiles various device and browser data to create profiles of users, potentially impacting individual privacy. Unlike the more controllable cookie system, this method is seen as a step backward by advocates who emphasize user privacy. They argue that Google’s decision highlights its preference for advertising revenue over safeguarding user information.

Advertising industry insiders note that this shift shows a troubling trend towards a more business-focused approach to user data. Experts hope it leads to further reflection on how consumer information should be used in the future.

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) in the UK has echoed these concerns, declaring fingerprinting as an unfair method of user tracking. They emphasize that companies leaning on this data collection will need to prove their compliance with data protection laws moving forward.

Overall, Google's latest maneuver prompts a much-needed conversation about the future of online privacy and whether users should have to compromise their personal data for access to free internet services.