Privacy Concerns Prompt Google to Stop Selling Ads Based on User Activity

Google announced it would no longer sell ads based on individuals’ movement across multiple websites. Alphabet, its parent company, announced it would stop using tracking technologies to identify users as they move from site to site—a decision that could redefine the digital advertising industry.

Google is moving to a model allowing users to opt-in and control data shared with advertisers rather than sharing consumers’ information without their consent or knowledge. This is good news for consumers increasingly concerned about their rights—and has long been a foundational tenet of the card-linking industry. On members’ behalf, the Digital Commerce Alliance (DCA) (formerly CardLinx Association) documented Consumer Data Transparency principles for safe and effective financial data use.