Update the Chrome Platform Status page

[jwrosewell]

This issue relates to the Chrome Platform Status page.

The “Web Developers” category under “Consensus and Standardization” states that there are “no signals”. There are many signals under this repository which indicate that the replacement feature is not ready.

Google show no sign of advancing the proposal via the W3C Process to obtain consensus. They would re-open or comment on #176 if they intended to obtain consensus via the W3C, the forum they directed the industry towards in debating and reviewing Privacy Sandbox.

The Chrome Platform Status page should be updated to reflect accurately the status of the proposal under clause 12 of the commitments that Google entered into with the CMA in February 2022.

Please can Google (tagging @miketaylr, @cwilso, @yoavweiss) provide a substantive answer in the January 2023 quarterly report provided to the CMA and the industry under the commitments which I understand Google employees at W3C have now been trained in.

[miketaylr]

We are committed to achieving the purpose of the Privacy Sandbox commitments accepted by the CMA in February 2022. We encourage feedback on how to better achieve that purpose through our technical proposals, and we will report publicly on feedback we receive as set out in the commitments. We are in constant dialogue with the CMA on these issues, and members of the web ecosystem are also welcome to discuss these issues with the CMA. In fact, as previously mentioned by the CMA in public and in its communications to Mr Rosewell, the CMA is the sole public body responsible for monitoring Google’s compliance with the commitments accepted on 11 February 2022 in relation to Google’s Privacy Sandbox proposals. We therefore hope that everyone will understand when we decline to participate in public discussions on legal or internal aspects of compliance with the commitments, or to detail our direct exchanges with the CMA.

[jwrosewell]

The commitments Google entered with the CMA in February 2022 prevent Google from implementing Privacy Sandbox changes until the CMA are satisfied or February 2028.[1] The commitments define a role for third parties such as myself to express reasonable views and suggestions.[2] The commitments require Google to provide quarterly reports providing substantive responses.[3] The next report is due in January 2023.[4]

The commitments, Privacy Sandbox website, and chrome developers web site, direct third parties to forums such as this one. [5][6]

The views and suggestions raised are not related to internal aspects of compliance. They relate to the substance of the proposal and are clearly within scope of the commitments in relation to third parties.

Please reopen this issue and retract your misleading statement posted on Friday 9th December 2022.

It would be helpful to provide your substantive response in this forum as well as the January 2023 quarterly report so that all third parties can easily understand the response. Once any follow-on observations and viewpoints are addressed then the issue can be closed.

[1] https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/62052c6a8fa8f510a204374a/100222_Appendix_1A_Google_s_final_commitments.pdf

[2] “Google will publish on a dedicated microsite a process for stakeholder engagement in relation to the details of the design, development and implementation of the Privacy Sandbox proposals and report on that process publicly, as well as to the CMA through the quarterly reports described in paragraph 32(a) below. As part of that process, Google will take into consideration reasonable views and suggestions expressed to it by publishers, advertisers and ad tech providers, including (but not limited to) those expressed in the W3C or any other fora, in relation to the Privacy Sandbox proposals, including testing, in order to better apply the Development and Implementation Criteria in the design, development and implementation of the Privacy Sandbox proposals.” – Commitments clause 12 – emphasis added

[3] “Google will provide the CMA with quarterly reports within three Working Days of the end of each three-calendar-month period following the Effective Date about: progress on the Privacy Sandbox proposals; updated timing expectations; substantive explanations of how Google has taken into account observations made by the CMA and by third parties pursuant to paragraphs 12 and 17(c)(ii) of these Commitments; and a summary of the interactions between the CMA and Google pursuant to paragraphs 17 and 21 of these Commitments, including in particular a record of any concerns raised or comments made by the CMA and the approach retained for addressing such concerns or comments pursuant to paragraphs 17(a)(ii) and 21.” – Commitments clause 32(a) – emphasis added

[4] https://www.gov.uk/cma-cases/investigation-into-googles-privacy-sandbox-browser-changes#third-quarterly-reports-2022

[5] “For the open web, you can contribute to the public discussions in forums such as the W3C….” https://privacysandbox.com/#home-frequently-asked-questions

[6] “To participate in conversations with industry representatives, browser vendors and others—for example, to advocate for a particular use case or solution—you can join one or more of the W3C forums where privacy-preserving proposals are being shared and refined. Today most community discussion is happening in the Improving Web Advertising Business Group, the Privacy Community Group and the Web Platform Incubator Community Group.” https://developer.chrome.com/blog/privacy-sandbox-participate

[miketaylr]

Note: the chromestatus page has been updated to reflect "Mixed signals" now.