Opinion: Google enhances privacy and perhaps itself at the same time

Putting an end to third-party cookies could cement Google’s control of adtech at the expense of rivals. — AFP

If you lived west of the Mississippi at the dawn of the 20th century, there must have been a moment when it became clear that the Wild West of old was no more. Perhaps it was the arrival of the railroad, or the last stagecoach robbery or the introduction of a federal income tax.

For the Web, that moment might just be Google’s decision on Jan 14 to end third-party tracking of people’s browsing habits. It’s a move that will better protect user data, but it also provides an opportunity for the Alphabet Inc unit to extend its dominance of online advertising.