Google reportedly mulls ditching cookies for less intrusive tracking tech

Google has been embroiled in more than its share of privacy controversies recently but the company may be taking steps to change its reputation for shady privacy practices. An unnamed source tells USA Today that Google is working on a less intrusive way to track users’ online behavior that it may use to replace cookies. USA Today’s source says that Google’s anonymous identifier for advertisers (AdID) technology can “be transmitted to advertisers and ad networks that have agreed to basic guidelines, giving consumers more privacy and control over how they browse the Web.” If Google follows through on building AdID then it would mean that two of tech’s largest companies have developed their own in-house versions of ad trackers, as Apple has also built its own alternative to third-party cookies into its Safari browser.