WTF are private state tokens in Google’s Privacy Sandbox?

This article is part of a special Digiday editorial series to catch you up on the basics of Google’s phaseout of third-party cookies. More from the series →

The third-party cookie’s deprecation — and broader crackdown on cross-site tracking practices, such as device fingerprinting — comes with side effects. One side effect is losing the means for companies to combat bot traffic. To account for this consequence, Google’s Privacy Sandbox features a proposal for fighting fraudulent traffic called Private State Tokens.

Private State Tokens effectively have sites that are able to authenticate site visitors be the ones to vouch for those visitors’ authenticity so that they can be trusted by other sites. As broken down in this explainer video, it’s akin to a friend recommending a therapist to another friend — albeit with the web browser providing a privacy-preserving means for passing on that recommendation.

More in Marketing

Coca-Cola’s AI-powered José Mourinho campaign could signal a shift in celebrity partnerships

Instead of featuring José Mourinho, the incoming manager of the Real Madrid soccer team, the series will be hosted by Mourinho’s AI clone.

Nest New York brings its fragrance-layering strategy to the U.K.

The fragrance brand is expanding its U.K. presence through e-tailer Cult Beauty, department stores Harrods and Selfridges, and specialty retailer John Bell & Croyden.