Source:https://developers.google.com/privacy-sandbox/3pcd

The end of third-party cookies is approaching. Before we get into the story, let me briefly explain what third-party cookies are.

When we surf the web, we leave traces through small data pieces called 'cookies'. It's like Hansel and Gretel (the name 'cookie' actually comes from Hansel and Gretel). We can 'log in' through the cookie pieces we leave behind, measure 'web traffic', or execute optimized 'advertisements'.

But what about 'third-party' cookies?

Let's take an example. Let's say we visit a site called 'example.com'. To measure where users come from and where they go, we can use an analysis tool called Google Analytics. We can also use Google Adsense to display advertisements. At this point, we use 'Google' cookies. Of course, it will be a different domain than example.com. Cookies from a 'different domain' are called third-party cookies.

Since cookies were supported in web browsers in the early days of the internet, most browsers have been able to handle cookies regardless of the domain. However, as privacy infringement issues grew and discussions about them became a hot topic, many web browsers, starting with Safari, began to block third-party cookies.

But does that mean all third-party cookies are gone? Of course not. They are still in use. However, they have become inconvenient, as they are generally only available if users manually turn on the cookie setting in the 'options'. So, you can think of it as being greatly reduced to the point where it is rarely used in practice.

However, Google Chrome, for various reasons, did not restrict third-party cookies until the end.

However, as time passed, Google could no longer postpone blocking third-party cookies. Now, Google has announced that it will gradually restrict third-party cookies in the latest Chrome, and starting in the third quarter of 2024, it will block all third-party cookies.

This is a story that is already well known. That's why the advertising system will change, and things like Google Analytics will change a lot in the future.

However, there is one more fact that is not widely known. It's 'social login'.

Basically, social logins are often based on third-party cookies.

This is often the Google login that you see at the top right or bottom left as you browse many websites.

However, this social login part also becomes problematic with the end of third-party cookies. Previously, in the case of Chrome, which continued to support third-party cookies, user information was automatically displayed, so it was easy to trust and log in. Now that third-party cookies are gone, your information will no longer be displayed, increasing the possibility of phishing (although phishing can be prevented with just a little care).

So, Google has come up with a new login technology called 'FedCM (Federated Credential Management)'. If we translate the meaning into Korean, it can be roughly translated as 'Federated Credential Management'.

FedCM can be understood as integrated third-party login authentication management. While the technology is not yet applied to all web browsers or used by all companies, it is already applied to Chrome on desktop, and Safari and Firefox are reportedly interested.

First, I will briefly explain the technology.

First, do you see the slightly different window at the top right as shown above? You might think that the only change is the slightly rounded design, but it's actually completely different.

If the previous window was a single component or piece of 'web page', the new window is not a web page, but a 'web browser' itself. In other words, it is an independent area that cannot be controlled or accessed using HTML or Javascript.

This has a very significant meaning.

If the previous window could be bypassed or used for phishing using tricks, the new method changes it to make it impossible.

Also, any site providing social login services can use this technology. For example, services like Facebook, Naver, and Daum can also use FedCM to support logins. It is becoming a standard technology.

Although it is not yet a complete technology, once it is fully established in the future, users can securely log in through FedCM to one site and then log in "securely" among social logins provided on that site.

As mentioned earlier, this technology is currently only available for Google login on a computer using the Chrome browser. However, as Google is diligently developing this technology, I think we will see it on mobile Chrome soon.

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Firefoxis currently experimenting with this technology.

Apple has also expressed interest in the technology.

Blocking third-party cookies will bring major changes to the web environment. FedCM is a new technology that provides a safe and convenient login system in response to these changes. The introduction of FedCM is expected to lead the future of web login systems.

This article is published together with Byline Networkand durumis.