LGTM3 according to Vlad's plan.
/Daniel
On 2025-11-12 17:19, Chris Harrelson wrote:
LGTM2 with the same conditions Vlad mentioned.
On Wed, Nov 12, 2025 at 8:16 AM Vladimir Levin <[email protected]>
wrote:
LGTM1 to deprecate. The plan to keep deprecation for 6 milestones
also sounds good. Please come back after to this thread at a time
when you think the removal can proceed. Since the amount of page
loads is extremely high, we would like to reserve the right to
pause the removal if this amount of page loads does not decrease
substantially.
On Friday, November 7, 2025 at 1:12:36 PM UTC-5 Yao Xiao wrote:
Intent to Deprecate and Remove: Topics API
Contact emails
[email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>
Explainer
https://github.com/patcg-individual-drafts/topics
<https://github.com/patcg-individual-drafts/topics>
Specification
https://patcg-individual-drafts.github.io/topics/
<https://patcg-individual-drafts.github.io/topics/>
Summary
The Topics API is a privacy-preserving web API to enable
ad-targeting based on a person’s general browsing interests,
without exposing their exact browsing history.
Following Chrome's announcement that the current approach to
third-party cookies will be maintained, we are now planning to
deprecate and remove the Topics API (along with other Privacy
Sandbox APIs).
The following API surfaces will be affected:
*
The JavaScript function `document.browsingTopics()` will
be removed.
*
The `browsingtopics` attribute on <iframe> and <img>
elements will be ignored.
*
The `browsingTopics` option in the fetch() API's
RequestInit will be a no-op.
*
Consequently, the `Sec-Browsing-Topics` request header
will no longer be sent, and the `Observe-Browsing-Topics`
response header will no longer be honored.
*
The "browsing-topics" and "interest-cohort" permissions
policy features will be removed.
Blink component
Blink>TopicsAPI
<https://issues.chromium.org/u/1/issues?q=customfield1222907:%22Blink%3ETopicsAPI%22>
Web Feature ID
None
Motivation
Chrome has announced that the current approach to third-party
cookies will be maintained. Given this, we expect adoption to
decrease over time (currently at 13%
<https://chromestatus.com/metrics/feature/timeline/popularity/5102>of
page loads) as interest based advertising will remain possible
in Chrome using third-party cookies. Further, other browser
engines have not signaled interest in launching the API. See
also the initial public proposal below.
Initial public proposal
https://privacysandbox.com/news/update-on-plans-for-privacy-sandbox-technologies/
<https://privacysandbox.com/news/update-on-plans-for-privacy-sandbox-technologies/>.
Possible breakage
Sites that rely on Topics API for targeting will experience
utility impact.
If usage warrants, we will take steps to avoid any risk of
page breakage, e.g. by temporarily retaining a stub
implementation of `document.browsingTopics()` that mimics
current behavior when a user has no topics to return. However,
since Topics is not enabled by default for all users, sites
should already be using feature detection, which makes the
risks of breakage low.
Debuggability
N/A
Requires code in //chrome?
True
Estimated milestones
Deprecate in M144 and then remove in M150.
Currently, ~13%
<https://chromestatus.com/metrics/feature/timeline/popularity/5102>of
page loads use Topics API. These are driven by a small number
of third-party ad tech scripts present on a large number of
sites. We will continue to monitor usage as well as provide
comprehensive updates on privacysandbox.google.com
<http://goo.gle/ps-status>with the status of the API and
deprecation plans.
We will also proactively work toward reducing usage to a low
level once the intent is approved, including disallowing any
new enrollment sign-ups, and contacting all enrolled sites
that use the Privacy Sandbox APIs to inform them about the
deprecation timelines.
Link to entry on the Chrome Platform Status
https://chromestatus.com/feature/5135370673061888
<https://chromestatus.com/feature/5135370673061888>
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