As ad tech firms test ways to connect Google's FLoC to other data, privacy watchers see fears coming true

Google's automated cookieless ad targeting method — or Federated Learning of Cohorts — is supposed to protect privacy by providing people with a greater degree of anonymity than the third-party cookie offered. Instead, it may make it quicker and easier for advertising companies to identify and access information about people online. "The more signals we have, the more accurate we are, and FLoC IDs will be among signals we use," said Mathieu Roche, CEO of identity tech firm ID5. Read more below.

• As privacy advocates warned, companies are starting to combine FLoC IDs with existing identifiable profile information, and identity firms plan to use FLoC as a persistent ID to improve accuracy.
• This week’s Digiday+ Media Briefing examines how a growing number of publishers are trying to solve their first-party data problems by literally asking as many questions as possible. Looking at you, Group Nine Media (among others).
• As screen fatigue takes hold, businesses have gotten creative with internal podcasts as an alternative to Zoom and Teams calls and internal email newsletters.
• We hear from a freelance creative who has been dealing with scope creep about why it can be an issue and how to manage it.