LGTM1 On Fri, Jun 12, 2026 at 2:32 AM Paul Jensen <[email protected]> wrote:
> Hi API Owners, > > Protected Audience API was deprecated in Chrome-144 with a plan to remove > it in Chrome-150. Currently the usage is 1.1% of page loads. > > <https://chromestatus.com/metrics/feature/timeline/popularity/4188>We are > proposing the following as next steps for removal and associated timelines: > > 1. M150: Remove all Ads API-related entries from Chrome settings and UI > surfaces (e.g., chrome://settings/adPrivacy) via field trial. After this > point, all API invocations for field-trial enabled browsers will always > reject. Since the API can already be disabled for one of many reasons, > scripts must already handle such rejections (or they’re already > significantly broken). > 2. M152: Permanently remove the underlying implementation code for the > API, and replace it with a lightweight stub API. The stub will remain > removable via field trial. > > 3. M152 Canary/Beta: Begin a controlled rollout of the stub API removal > via a field trial. > 4. M152 Stable: Assuming there are no regressions or breakage after > reaching 1% stable, we will request additional approval for full removal at > this stage. > > At this time, we are seeking LGTMs for steps #2 and #3. > > Thanks, > > Paul > > On Wed, Nov 12, 2025 at 11:30 AM Vladimir Levin <[email protected]> > wrote: > >> LGTM2 >> >> On Wednesday, November 12, 2025 at 11:30:32 AM UTC-5 Chris Harrelson >> wrote: >> >>> LGTM1 >>> >>> On Fri, Nov 7, 2025 at 11:04 AM Paul Jensen <[email protected]> >>> wrote: >>> >>>> Intent to Deprecate and Remove: Protected Audience >>>> Contact emails >>>> >>>> [email protected] >>>> >>>> Explainer >>>> >>>> https://github.com/WICG/turtledove/blob/main/FLEDGE.md >>>> >>>> Specification >>>> >>>> https://wicg.github.io/turtledove/ >>>> >>>> SummaryThe Protected Audience API provides a method of interest-group >>>> advertising without third-party cookies or user tracking across sites. >>>> >>>> Following Chrome's announcement >>>> <https://privacysandbox.com/news/privacy-sandbox-next-steps/> that the >>>> current approach to third-party cookies will be maintained, we are now >>>> planning to deprecate and remove >>>> <https://privacysandbox.com/news/update-on-plans-for-privacy-sandbox-technologies/> >>>> the Protected Audience API (along with certain other Privacy Sandbox APIs, >>>> as outlined on the Privacy Sandbox feature status page >>>> <https://privacysandbox.google.com/overview/status>). >>>> >>>> Blink component >>>> >>>> Blink>InterestGroups >>>> <https://issues.chromium.org/issues?q=customfield1222907:%22Blink%3EInterestGroups%22> >>>> >>>> Web Feature ID >>>> >>>> None >>>> >>>> Motivation >>>> >>>> Chrome has announced that the current approach to third-party cookies >>>> will be maintained. Since that announcement there has been virtually >>>> no interest in the Protected Audience API. Use of the >>>> joinAdInterestGroup() API >>>> <https://chromestatus.com/metrics/feature/timeline/popularity/3855> >>>> has decreased by almost 100x and use of the runAdAuction() API >>>> <https://chromestatus.com/metrics/feature/timeline/popularity/3857> >>>> has decreased by more than 10x. Of the auctions occurring today, virtually >>>> none of them have winners (determined by looking at the “Success” bucket >>>> count of the Ads.InterestGroup.Auction.Result UMA), implying that they are >>>> not providing useful benefit to the pages initiating them. >>>> >>>> Initial public proposal >>>> >>>> >>>> https://privacysandbox.com/news/update-on-plans-for-privacy-sandbox-technologies/ >>>> . >>>> >>>> Developer-facing impact >>>> >>>> Given that virtually none of the Protected Audience auctions occurring >>>> today have winners, we estimate the lost utility from this removal to be >>>> negligible. >>>> >>>> User-facing risks >>>> >>>> The user-facing risks are small. While removing the JavaScript API >>>> could cause pages to break, the impact should be limited to sites that >>>> don't employ standard defensive coding or feature detection, which should >>>> be rare since not all browsers implement the API. >>>> >>>> If usage warrants, we will take steps to avoid any risk of page >>>> breakage, e.g. by temporarily retaining a stub implementation of Navigator >>>> APIs joinAdInterestGroup(), runAdAuction(), leaveAdInterestGroup(), >>>> clearOriginJoinedAdInterestGroups(), getInterestGroupAdAuctionData(), >>>> canLoadAdAuctionFencedFrame(), createAuctionNonce(), >>>> updateAdInterestGroups(), protectedAudience.queryFeatureSupport(), >>>> deprecatedReplaceInURN(), deprecatedURNtoURL(), and adAuctionComponents() >>>> that mimic current behavior when a user has disabled Protected Audience. >>>> >>>> Estimated milestones >>>> >>>> Planning to deprecate in M144 and remove in M150. >>>> >>>> Currently 0.22% >>>> <https://chromestatus.com/metrics/feature/timeline/popularity/4188> of >>>> page loads use the Protected Audience 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 with the status of the API and >>>> deprecation plans <https://privacysandbox.google.com/overview/status>. >>>> >>>> We will also proactively work toward reducing usage to low levels once >>>> this intent is approved, including disallowing any new enrollment sign-ups, >>>> and contacting enrolled sites to inform them about the deprecation >>>> timelines. >>>> >>>> Protected Audience features that were never launched beyond 20% Stable >>>> (TextEncoder >>>> support >>>> <https://github.com/WICG/turtledove/issues/961#issuecomment-2793763963>, >>>> Creative scanning via BYOS/V1 trusted scoring signals >>>> <https://groups.google.com/a/chromium.org/g/blink-dev/c/EXfp34Qb1oc/m/oaiY6MENBwAJ>, >>>> Selectable Reporting IDs >>>> <https://groups.google.com/a/chromium.org/g/blink-dev/c/1cWqBPHngd0/m/gSYeR_dPAAAJ>) >>>> will be ramped down by the end of 2025. >>>> >>>> Protected Audience services, Bidding and Auction services >>>> <https://groups.google.com/a/chromium.org/g/blink-dev/c/CyXJz3xOEcc/m/1snkv2KhAwAJ> >>>> and Trusted Key Value service >>>> <https://groups.google.com/a/chromium.org/g/blink-dev/c/fH8u7ZTNZg8/m/oo0WVw7SAQAJ>, >>>> will not onboard new clients once deprecation is approved. We will work >>>> with onboarded clients and plan to turn down the services by the end of >>>> year as usage is negligible today. This will have no user-facing or >>>> web-compat impact. >>>> >>>> Link to entry on the Chrome Platform Status >>>> >>>> https://chromestatus.com/feature/6552486106234880 >>>> >>>> -- >>>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google >>>> Groups "blink-dev" group. >>>> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send >>>> an email to [email protected]. >>>> To view this discussion visit >>>> https://groups.google.com/a/chromium.org/d/msgid/blink-dev/CABQTWrnevtY14OMos%2BuDgzXtFwQJ5vzY3hEMmyRFQBKDHBz-9A%40mail.gmail.com >>>> <https://groups.google.com/a/chromium.org/d/msgid/blink-dev/CABQTWrnevtY14OMos%2BuDgzXtFwQJ5vzY3hEMmyRFQBKDHBz-9A%40mail.gmail.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> >>>> . >>>> >>> -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "blink-dev" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > email to [email protected]. > To view this discussion visit > https://groups.google.com/a/chromium.org/d/msgid/blink-dev/CABQTWrmRRxZO%3D%2BCmt-hfkBBjeR8j4umTer8krMvmAyiVP_1HXw%40mail.gmail.com > <https://groups.google.com/a/chromium.org/d/msgid/blink-dev/CABQTWrmRRxZO%3D%2BCmt-hfkBBjeR8j4umTer8krMvmAyiVP_1HXw%40mail.gmail.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> > . > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "blink-dev" group. 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