From August 3, 2026, Google will use IP addresses from UK, EEA and Switzerland users for ad measurement and personalization. It lands as the ICO weighs new consent rules, and years after Google itself called using such signals to identify devices "wrong." [...]
The shift is happening as regulatory bodies like the ICO weigh new consent rules, pushing Google to adapt its data practices for ad personalization.
This move by Google signifies a heightened tension between user privacy regulations and the ad-tech industry's need for granular targeting data, setting a precedent for global data handling.
Google will now extensively use UK and EU user IP addresses for ad measurement and personalization, a practice it previously deemed inappropriate for device identification.
- · Google (ad revenue)
- · Advertisers (improved targeting)
- · UK/EU users (privacy)
- · Privacy advocacy groups
- · Other ad-tech companies (potential competitive disadvantage)
Increased ad relevance for UK and EU users and more accurate ad performance measurement for advertisers.
Potential for increased regulatory scrutiny and legal challenges from data protection authorities over the scope and methods of IP address usage.
Drives further innovation in privacy-preserving ad technologies or, conversely, a global divergence in ad industry data practices based on regional regulations.
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Read at BleepingComputer