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If that were the case, then wouldn't you expect the average HN user to like FLoC? Targeted ads, where the personal information is stored securely in your browser.

(Disclosure: I work on ads at Google, speaking only for myself)

>>jefftk+(OP)
Why would I trust that what FLoC is presented as being is actually just that and only that? Everything google makes seems like bait and switch lies massaged by lawyerspeak to make it legal. Like anyone else who has burned me and my friends in the past, they have to show me they have nothing up their sleeve first

>>puebli+d4
What has Google done that they said they wouldn't?

>>lupire+q9
Not be evil? ;)

>>puebli+d4
> they have to show me they have nothing up their sleeve first

https://github.com/WICG/floc describes something open source and running on the client. Will that be sufficient, or is there additional disclosure you'd like to see?

>>jefftk+(OP)
Because having read the EFF article, it is clear that personal information is not secured to my browser. By definition, putting me into a category exposes my personal information, in a summarized form that is potentially reversible.

It enhances the ability to fingerprint me, effectively exposing my browsing history.

If Google offered it as an "opt in", giving me some reward for sharing my personal information that Google sells to advertisers, then that is a fair deal. In return for some form of sharing the revenue, Google gets to sell my information.

But that's not the model. It's still the "you're a product" model where Google not only gets to sell my search history, but now also continues to sell my browsing history.

I can see how it benefits Google and how it gives them/you something to sell to advertisers, but what's in it for me?

>>jefftk+(OP)
In general I agree. Cannot speak for others here of course.

The devil is in the detail. So if FLoC and new third party tools to subvert FLoC became too mainstream, then I would expect Google to act in its own interest and provide value-added back-end services. Just as has happened with Android AOSP and Play Services.

Until then though, I feel FLoC being both client-side and open-source would be an improvement on the status quo

>>rswail+SD
This isn't information that Google would sell to advertisers: the proposal is that it be available to all JavaScript in the browser: https://github.com/WICG/floc

What you get in return is that ad-supported sites you visit are better funded because they can show better-targeted advertising.

>>lupire+q9
Is this a joke? Google says it follows the law but has been fined $10+ billion in the last decade for violating it.