Data Privacy: Google introduces "confidential matching" for advertisers

Technologies like confidential computing, which use special software and hardware known as Trusted Execution Environments (TEEs), unlock new ways for businesses to use their first-party data to reach customers and measure the impact of their digital ad campaigns, said tech giant Google. In a recent blog post, Google explained that confidential computing tech also gives added data security and transparency, by isolating business information during processing so that no one — including Google — can access the data being processed.

Last week, Google introduced confidential matching, which the firm states is a new way to securely connect first-party data for measurement and audience solutions. "This marks only the first use of confidential computing in our Ads products, and we plan to bring this privacy enhancing technology to more products over time," added Kamal Janardhan, Senior Director of Product Management, Measurement, Google.

For advertisers, the use of confidential computing means added protections for customers’ information that are secure by default. Other technical assurances include transparency into a product’s code and the ability to receive proof, known as “attestation,” that data is processed as intended.

Trusted Execution Environments (TEEs) are used across different industries to protect data like passwords and credit card numbers.

Confidential Space — part of Google Cloud’s confidential computing portfolio — is used by MonetaGo for secure financial fraud detection. In other applications, it enables privacy preserving data sharing between businesses because of its unique security properties.

"We’re using this same Confidential Space technology, which has already received rigorous security reviews from third-party auditors, as the technical foundation in Ads for confidential matching," Google stated.

Confidential matching is now the default for any data connections made for Customer Match including Google Ads Data Manager. Google states, for advertisers with very strict data policies, it also means the ability to encrypt the data yourself before it ever leaves your servers.

In the coming months, Google will continue to roll out encryption support in confidential matching globally. The big tech firm also plans to expand its use of confidential matching across more of its advertising solutions. For example, in the next few months enhanced conversions implemented with the Google tag will start rolling out first-party data processed with confidential matching. Processing will happen behind the scenes, without changing how you measure conversions or manage your Google tag.

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