Digital Fingerprints Test Privacy Concerns in 2025

Google updated its handling of device "fingerprinting" for advertising purposes, prompting privacy experts to warn that the change could enable increased surveillance, detailed user profiling, identity theft, and discrimination. The piece outlines legal and practical concerns (including GDPR implications, lack of opt-out, risks to minors, and potential misuse by data brokers or governments) while noting Google's position that partners must follow laws and that no new data is being shared via real-time bidding.