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Google Will Nix the “GAID” for Opted-Out Users on Android

By and June 8, 2021Insights

Google recently announced that beginning later this year, for Android 12, Android devices will “zero-out” the Google Advertising ID (“GAID”) for users who have opted out of tracking and personalized advertising. (In other words, using the “Opt out of Ads Personalization” settings). Specifically, according to Google:

“This Google Play services phased rollout will affect apps running on Android 12 devices starting late 2021 and will expand to affect apps running on devices that support Google Play in early 2022.”

Currently, when the user opts-out, the GAID is still transmitted, and third parties are permitted to use the GAID for non-advertising purposes, such as attribution, analytics, and fraud detection. However, once the new policy is in force, the GAID will only show a string of zeros as opposed to the GAID. To assist developers and service providers with the transition, the policy change will undergo a period of review and coordination among relevant stakeholders.

We will continue to monitor these developments and provide updates as they come about.

Steven Roosa

Author Steven Roosa

Steven B. Roosa advises companies on a wide spectrum of technology and legal issues pertaining to privacy and data security. Steve serves as partner in Norton Rose Fulbright's New York office and oversees the firm's privacy compliance tool suite, NT Analyzer.

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Steven Roosa

Author Wenda Tang

Wenda Tang is a lawyer in the Washington, DC office, where she is part of the Data Protection, Privacy and Cybersecurity practice group. Wenda focuses on drafting and interpreting technology-related contracts, including insertion orders, service provider addendums, DPAs, advertising agreements, and non-disclosure agreements. She also assists clients in complying with data protection and privacy laws, such as the CCPA, GDPR, HIPAA, GLBA, COPPA, CAN-SPAM Act, and TCPA.

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