Google is testing its new Privacy Sandbox settings in Chrome

Google is starting “origin trials” for the Chrome Privacy Sandbox, its new system for serving targeted ads without using cookies, the company announced. The initial aim is to test ad relevance via its new Topics API, along with FLEDGE and Attribution Reporting that allows remarketing and ad click measurement without tracking behavior across sites. 

Origin trials will let Google test experimental Chrome technology with a limited number of people to make sure it’s ready for general use. Starting today, developers can begin testing code for Topics, FLEDGE and Attribution Reporting in the Canary Chrome beta “and we’ll progress to origin trials with a limited number of Chrome Beta users as soon as possible,” it wrote. Eventually, the company will expand trials to a stable version of Chrome to access a larger user subset. All the trials will be available globally, with updates available here. 

Google will be testing updated settings that allow you to control your participation in the origin trials. For example, under the “Browser-based ad personalization” section, you’ll be able to remove various interests estimated by Chrome, or remove specific sites that “define your interests.” You’ll also be able to control how ads are measured and choose how to participate in spam and fraud reduction that helps advertisers detect bots.

Privacy Sandbox has met with significant criticism, particularly from EU and UK advertisers that claim removing cookies will hurt their ad businesses. Government also has concern that the new system will only serve to strengthen Google’s stranglehold on the online ad marketplace, while putting consumer privacy at risk. Last month, however, Google agreed to a legally binding set of commitments with UK regulators to address those issues.