Cookies are small files that are as useful as they are dangerous. These files are responsible for storing personal information (such as the last time we have visited a website, or the login) so that, when we return to it, we can resume our activity where we left off. These cookies are also used by third parties to follow us on the network, linking a unique ID to each user, so that they can know which websites we visit and what our tastes and interests are. The Internet has always been like this. However, now Google has in mind to do away with cookies and create a much worse spying system: FLoC .
FLoC, Federated Learning of Cohorts , is a system that aims to replace third-party cookies and prevent each user from having a unique ID associated with them. In theory, what it does is group users with similar tastes and interests into a kind of groups (cohorts), and each group has an ID . In this way, it is possible to continue sending personalized advertising based on tastes and interests, but it will not be aimed at a specific user, but rather at similar groups.
In theory everything seems fine. But we must remember that Google’s main source of income is our data. And all that this new system does is allow Google to collect much more information about us without relying on cookies.
Although at the moment this function is in the testing phase and is only active for 0.5% of users (and Spain is not in the test), little by little this percentage is increasing. Luckily, although Google does not make it easy for us, it is possible to disable it in Chrome.
How to disable FLoC in Chrome
In order to disable the use of cohort-based IDs, it is necessary to disable a flag. This, for now, is only available to users of the Canary branch of the browser, but as the development of Chrome continues, it will advance until it reaches the stable version of it.
If we already have the latest Canary installed on the PC, we can disable this controversial security function very easily. The first thing we will do is enter the flags configuration panel and activate the call ” Privacy Sandbox Settings 2 “. We can get to it directly by typing in the address bar:
chrome://flags/#privacy-sandbox-settings-2
We mark its value as ” Enabled “, we restart the browser and that’s it. Now, if we enter the section “chrome: // settings / privacySandbox”, we can see an option to deactivate the Federated Learning of cohorts , FLoC. We deactivate this box and that’s it.
Chrome will use the typical cookies again and we will avoid using this controversial function. At least until Google decides it’s mandatory for everyone. Then we will have no choice but to look for alternatives.
Other ways to improve privacy
In addition to deactivating this function, another way to be able to browse the web more privately is to find an alternative browser that does not use FLoC. Microsoft Edge , for example, is one of the best alternatives to Chrome that we can choose. This browser has been clear about the use of FLoC (it is radically against) and promises users not to implement such functionality.
If we want a more free option, that does not go through the hoop of Microsoft and Bing, we can give Firefox a chance. Mozilla’s browser is also totally against the Google cohorts, and has always been in favor of protecting privacy, so we won’t have a problem with it.