DuckDuckGo Blocks Google’s New FLoC Tracking Technology

DuckDuckGo has announced its intention to block Google’s FLoC technology, which Google is currently testing as a more privacy-friendly way to track user activity and serve ads. Privacy advocates, such as the Electronic Frontier Foundation, argue that Google’s new technology could actually harm consumers.

According to DuckDuckGo, FLoC works against user privacy because it groups users “based on their browsing history, and any website can access that group’s FLoC ID for targeting and fingerprinting.” Additionally, Google implemented this technology without informing users or giving them a choice in the matter.

DuckDuckGo noted that the latest version of its Chrome extension will prevent websites from tracking users through FLoC identification. However, before the extension becomes available to users, the update must be approved by Google. DuckDuckGo also added that its search engine will not collect or use FLoC IDs for identification, regardless of whether users have the Chrome extension installed.

This stance is not surprising for a Google competitor, especially one that uses privacy as a key selling point. However, it suggests that FLoC will not become universally accepted—just like third-party tracking cookies before it, FLoC may become part of an ongoing arms race between advertisers and users who do not want to be tracked. The technology is still in the testing phase, and other companies are already working to block it.