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Google launches interest-based ads with ‘Privacy Sandbox’

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Google is rolling out Privacy Sandbox to all Chrome users to replace third-party cookies. The company claims this privacy-forward feature tracks your browsing habits to find relevant topics. This data lets advertisers show you relevant ads.

The company has been showing users a Privacy Sandbox popup for days. The pop-up has been criticized for not providing enough information about cookie replacement tech and how the company will generate topics of interest based on browsing data if you click “Got it”. Paul Graham, an investor, called this pop-up “spyware.”

Users will also get ad controls with the rollout. If you clicked “Got it” in the pop-up, the privacy sandbox will be enabled by default. Turn it off in Settings > Privacy and Security > Ad Privacy > Ad topics. This will prevent advertisers from showing topic-specific ads.

Chrome’s Ad Topics tab lets users view and block irrelevant system-generated topics.

Statcounter reports that Google Chrome has over 60% market share. It was the last to disable third-party cookies because Safari and Firefox have been blocking them for a while.

Chrome delayed phasing out cookies because it wanted to launch its targeted ads alternative before blocking third-party cookies. In the second half of 2024, the company will default off third-party cookies for all users, it announced in May. Google also said it would start with 1% of users in Q1 2024.

Advertisers and developers worry about the new solution because Chrome drives web traffic. The company made the API public in July for developers to test the Privacy Sandbox. The company plans to provide a simulation environment for developers to adapt to cookie-less environments. According to Insider Intelligence, advertisers in India are still spending a lot on cookies despite trying alternatives.

Google claims its solution eliminates third-party cookie fallbacks, but the W3C Technical Architecture Group (TAG) has raised concerns. Chromium-only support for the Topics API could block users or limit the experience for other browsers, they said.

Earlier this week, marketing advocacy group Movement for the Open Web blogged that Google’s Privacy Sandbox collects a lot of personal data “sourced through an opt-in process that it’s hard for most web users to avoid.”

As Editor here at GeekReply, I'm a big fan of all things Geeky. Most of my contributions to the site are technology related, but I'm also a big fan of video games. My genres of choice include RPGs, MMOs, Grand Strategy, and Simulation. If I'm not chasing after the latest gear on my MMO of choice, I'm here at GeekReply reporting on the latest in Geek culture.

Gaming

PAYDAY 3 Developer Announces D&D Live Service Multiplayer

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The Starbreeze cooperative multiplayer game Project Baxter is expected to follow PAYDAY. The official Dungeons & Dragons logo is on Starbreeze. However, we do not expect the studio to revere RPG settings like Larian did with Baldur’s Gate 3.

Starbreeze will develop and publish Project Baxter in 2026 for all major platforms. The company says it “will carry the signature Starbreeze game cornerstones of cooperative multiplayer, lifetime commitment through a Games as a Service model, community engagement, and a larger than life experience.”

Forgive the skepticism, but PAYDAY 3, Starbreeze’s latest release, lagged behind due to server issues that the CEO had to apologize for, taking two months to release the heist shooter’s first patch. It’s a disappointing story that may have gone unnoticed in a year with The Lord of the Rings: Gollum, Kong: Rise of Skull Island, and The Walking Dead: Destinies.

Would you like a Starbreeze multiplayer live service D&D game? Is this to capitalize on the setting’s moment between Baldur’s Gate and the surprising good Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves?

 

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Free Soccer Simulator Finally More Single Player on eFootball, But Not Like League

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Konami promised that free-to-play soccer sim eFootball would add PES’ massively popular Master League mode, but while this month’s v3.20 update will add more solo content, you’ll have to wait. My League lets you play full seasons as a single player with changing weather and exclusive rewards to reduce the wait.

You’ll replace a real team from your league, like England or Italy. The gacha system unlocks players that you’ll use to fight the AI and win the table. Play through the mode as many times as you want, with custom cutscenes and other features to track your progress. It all seems like a way to make dream team gameplay appealing to offline players.

Online play is also getting better. A new tier system will match you with players of similar skill levels, and co-op will soon let you join strangers instead of friends. You can use emojis to discuss your matches’ successes and failures or strategize with new allies.

We assume new cards with perks will allow Konami to create “rarer” versions of players when they perform certain real-life feats. A new login feature will include a penalty-taking minigame where you must score a goal to climb a ladder and unlock in-game rewards like virtual currency. For now, that’s it.

The critically panned game improves, but not as fast as former PES fans would like. The gameplay is good, and there are more things to do, but without that meaty single-player mode, old-school franchise fans will always rank it lower. Konami should revive one of the best solo sports game modes soon.

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Despite Leak, GTA 6 Trailer Reaches 50 Million Views in 10 Hours

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We expected it to be big, but this big? Only ten hours after Rockstar unceremoniously released GTA 6’s trailer after an unexpected leak, it has over 50 million views. This video is the top trending video on YouTube worldwide, ignoring mirrors from IGN and Gamespot.

Instead of waiting until later today, the developer released the first footage of the latest Grand Theft Auto after a watermarked version leaked on Twitter. The team is understandably upset, but the video’s overwhelming response will reassure it. It has 50 million views and 6.5 million likes.

This could reach 100 million by the end of the day as it’s shared worldwide and fans search for Easter eggs and secrets. How many times have you seen the new trailer?

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