A new tracking tecnology : FLoC

General discussion about Slimjet, or other issues related to web browser in general.
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Mr_Electro84
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Joined: Sun Mar 14, 2021 1:20 pm

A new tracking tecnology : FLoC

Post by Mr_Electro84 »

Hello,

Recently, Google decided to test a new tracking technology on its Chrome browser to replace the controversial "third-party cookie": the FLoC

For those who don't know, the FLoC (Federated Cohorts of Learning) is a technology that automatically classifies the user in a point of interest (according to his points of interest), then the advertiser will target this POI with adequate ads without knowing who composes this POI (this was a vast synthetization), Google says that this technology is supposed to improve the privacy of the Internet users, Vivaldi, Brave and DDG don't see it this way.

Here is the opinion of the Vivaldi team about this subject :
FLoC off! Vivaldi does not support FLoC. At Vivaldi, we defend the privacy of our users. We do not support tracking and profiling in any way. We certainly would not allow our products to create local targeting profiles. For us, the words privacy really means real privacy. We don't do the opposite. We don't even observe how you use our products. Our privacy policy is simple and clear; we don't want to monitor you.
For the moment it concern only Chrome 89 and américans users (I'm living in France therefore I'm not concerned). And about FLoC, I was wondering if Slimjet (when based on Chromium 89) will support FLoC, will it welcome FLoC or will it reject it outright ?


Thank you if you are read this message
Mr_Electro84 - From France
Bonne année ! - Happy new year !
Windows 11 - Slimjet 42 (64 bit)

Passenger
Posts: 474
Joined: Wed Dec 04, 2019 4:43 pm

Re: A new tracking tecnology : FLoC

Post by Passenger »

Is there a specific script (or namespace) we might block with a script blocker such as NoScript?

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Mr_Electro84
Posts: 147
Joined: Sun Mar 14, 2021 1:20 pm

Re: A new tracking tecnology : FLoC

Post by Mr_Electro84 »

Some add-ons blocks already the FLoC tecnology (e. g. DuckDuckGo with his add-on) : https://www.generation-nt.com/pistage-u ... 87244.html (english version : https://www.ghacks.net/2021/04/10/duckd ... st-update/)

Then my main question is : will Slimjet block FLoC? An extension that blocks it is good, a browser that blocks FLoC is better!
Mr_Electro84 - From France
Bonne année ! - Happy new year !
Windows 11 - Slimjet 42 (64 bit)

Passenger
Posts: 474
Joined: Wed Dec 04, 2019 4:43 pm

Re: A new tracking tecnology : FLoC

Post by Passenger »

In the mean time there's this, courtesy of the EFF.

Am I FLoCed?
https://amifloced.org/

Note: If you use NoScript or similar, you will have to permit the script.

Image

The next Slimjet version moves us to Chromium 88.0.4324.150, so all OK for now.

But it's definitely something for the devs to consider.
Perhaps it could be a user option same as third party cookies (which I have turned off).
Some people like that stuff for some reason.

The one thing that should not happen is quietly adopting it with no official notice.

Passenger
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Re: A new tracking tecnology : FLoC

Post by Passenger »

Just for completeness (this screenshot from latest Brave browser, not Slimjet):

Image

Passenger
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Re: A new tracking tecnology : FLoC

Post by Passenger »

Yet another privacy violation scheme:

Read this before clicking second link (also appears in article)
Tor users, beware: 'Scheme flooding' technique may be used to deanonymize you
https://www.theregister.com/2021/05/14/ ... ting_flaw/

Not just Tor affected.

https://schemeflood.com/

CrockPot
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Joined: Sat Oct 28, 2017 7:26 am

Re: A new tracking tecnology : FLoC

Post by CrockPot »

With the next feature release(whenever that will be :? ),here is how to disable that crap: https://winaero.com/how-to-disable-floc ... le-chrome/

P.S. uBlock and AdGuard already implemented scripts to block FLoC on webpages,so whoever is using any of them is covered also :)

P.S.P.S If all of the above didn't do the trick,run Slimjet with --disable-features=FederatedLearningOfCohorts,FlocIdComputedEventLogging

Passenger
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Re: A new tracking tecnology : FLoC

Post by Passenger »

Update:

Google herds FLoC back to the lab for undisclosed post-third-party-cookie ad tech modifications
The Register
Google has decided to let the initial test of its FLoC ad technology conclude in a few days to work on improvements – though it isn't inclined to share feedback from test participants.

Privacy advocates would prefer if the online ad giant provided more insight into the test results, since Google's ongoing ad infrastructure rewrite affects every internet business and internet user, not to mention the digital ad industry generating $350bn annually.

FLoC stands for Federated Learning of Cohorts and promises a way to divide browser users into interest groups so they can be presented with interest-based ads without revealing personal information to advertisers. It's one proposal among many, collectively referred to as the Privacy Sandbox, intended to repackage targeted advertising technology so it can continue amid tighter privacy laws and technical limitations like the eventual discontinuation of third-party cookies.]

...
The arms race continues. :mrgreen:

Passenger
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Re: A new tracking tecnology : FLoC

Post by Passenger »

Version 32 still not FLoCed ==> https://amifloced.org/ :mrgreen:

Passenger
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Joined: Wed Dec 04, 2019 4:43 pm

Re: A new tracking tecnology : FLoC

Post by Passenger »

Just checked. Version 34 not FLoCed.

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