Brave is disabling Google's FLoC tracking method from all of its releases, saying it materially harms user privacy under the guise of being privacy-friendly
Peter Snyder, Senior Privacy Researcher at Brave — FLoC is a recent Google proposal that would have your browser share …
Brave Browser
Context & Ripple Effects
Google had moved FLoC into a developer origin trial as part of its replacement for third-party cookies, but related coverage had already identified new privacy issues in the approach despite its cookie-avoidance goal. Brave’s rejection turns that debate into a browser-level distribution constraint.
The decision also fits Brave’s broader privacy positioning, later reflected in its switch to Brave Search as the default. It matters because FLoC’s usefulness to advertisers depends on browsers electing to implement it, not merely on Google proposing it.
First-order effects
Brave users and websites visited through Brave releases will no longer participate in FLoC-based cohort tracking through that browser.
Google loses Brave as a route for its FLoC rollout, while Brave can differentiate its privacy stance directly against Google’s proposed ad technology.
Advertisers and publishers cannot treat FLoC as a browser-neutral replacement for third-party cookies when major browsers choose not to support it.
Third-order effects
If browser makers continue to reject Google-led tracking standards, browser privacy policies—not just web standards proposals—will determine which ad-targeting systems can achieve broad reach.
Brave’s stance points to privacy features becoming a competitive boundary between browsers and the advertising systems tied to their platform providers.
The trend: Browser vendors are increasingly using privacy controls to decide the reach of post-cookie advertising technologies.
Google embedded a new tracking method called FLoC in Chrome & is turning it on by default. Consequently, we've enhanced the tracker blocking in our Chrome extension to block FLoC (update pending store approval). Extension: https://chrome.google.com/... Post: https://spreadprivacy…
Brave on FLoC: 'In general, the idea that privacy is, and is only, the absence of cross-site tracking, is wrong. Any useful concept of privacy should include some concept of “don't tell others things you know about me, without my permission."' https://brave.com/...
Google's FLoC proposal harms user privacy, under the guise of being privacy-friendly. Read our blog to see why Brave disables FLoC and how we are building a Web that serves users first: https://brave.com/...
Some are wondering if FLoC (Google's 'Federated Learning of Cohorts') is enabled in @Brave. No *crunch*, it's not. We *chewing loudly* disabled it pretty quickly, and *gulp* cleaned up various *licks paw* inactive traces of it yesterday *hiccup*. What's next on the menu, Google? …
While Google isn't phasing out third-party cookies in Chrome until at least 2023, FLoC is live today in 2021. If you're reading this in Chrome while logged in to your Google account, you'll likely be affected. So take action and Block FLoC! More details: https://spreadprivacy.com…