Amazon Blocks Google FLoC Ad Tracking Quietly

Although Google is pushing the tracking and positioning method of the “post-cookie era”, the promotion of the industry called the “joint learning queue” (FLoC) is not progressing smoothly. In addition to being strongly opposed by privacy advocacy organizations (such as the EFF Electronic Frontier Foundation) and third-party browser developers, e-commerce giant Amazon is also quietly blocking Google’s new version of the ad tracking system. It is reported that Digiday carried out an in-depth analysis of the code of the Amazon website with the help of 3D technical experts.

Although Amazon is reluctant to comment on this, reports on how Google’s FLoC tracking system collects and categorizes user data, and whether it can achieve the previously promised effect, have long been overwhelming.

Judging from Amazon’s low-key move, Google’s goal of continuing to lead the digital advertising market in the era after the disappearance of cookies maybe even more difficult to achieve. At the same time, e-commerce giants may use this to strengthen their ability to peddle advertising business on the open network.

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Amanda Martin, vice president of corporate partnerships at the digital agency Goodway Group, said that this move is directly related to Google’s attempt to provide third-party cookie alternatives.

In addition, in the face of huge data privacy pressure, the FLoC forced by Google will only become more difficult due to the strong resistance of giants such as Apple, Facebook, and Amazon.

With the assistance of three technical experts, Digiday witnessed last week how Amazon added a code to prevent Google Chrome from accessing FLoC tracking in its digital assets.

Digiday pointed out that Amazon does not seem to have adopted a “one size fits all” governance plan. Although one of the technical experts saw that both sites blocked FLoC tracking, the other technical staff did not see it, which means that Amazon may be different. A differentiated deployment is adopted on the regional servers.

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For example, Amazon’s WholeFoods, Zappos, ShopBop, and GoodReads have highlighted codes that block FLoC tracking, but as of press time, the e-commerce giant has not added relevant blocking codes on the AbeBooks book sales website. However, according to advertising technology researcher Krzysztof Franaszek, the follow-up does not rule out the possibility that Amazon will prevent FLoC tracking on AbeBooks.