Google to restrict apps from tracking you on Android devices

Google said Wednesday that it will restrict advertisers' ability to track users of Android phones and other devices. It joins Apple in taking steps to strengthen privacy for U.S. consumers, a sea-change for the digital ad industry. 

Anthony Chavez, vice president of product management for Android Security & Privacy, said in a blog post that the company will also develop other ways for software developers and businesses to reach mobile users while limiting sharing of people's personal data, noting that the company wants to "raise the bar for user privacy." 

Until recently, Google included a unique identifier on Android devices, called Advertising ID, that allowed marketers to see what a user was doing across all apps, allowing companies to build a comprehensive picture of that person's interests and activities. Wednesday's move limits apps' ability to capture that information.