Google has been hit with a complaint from the Austrian advocacy group NOYB (None of Your Business) for allegedly tracking users of its Chrome web browser, an issue already on EU antitrust regulators' radar.

The American tech giant is phasing out the use of third-party cookies that advertisers employ to track consumers, in order to protect consumer privacy. It has introduced a set of tools called the Privacy Sandbox to block covert tracking techniques and limit data sharing with third parties, while allowing developers and publishers to measure ads without tracking individual users.

Chrome users are asked whether they want to turn on the ad privacy feature or not, to prevent being tracked. However, NOYB alleges that the feature actually allows Google to track users within the browser itself, and that the company should first seek users' consent as required under European Union privacy rules.

"People thought they were agreeing to a privacy feature, but were tricked into accepting Google's first-party ad tracking. Consent has to be informed, transparent and fair to be legal. Google has done the exact opposite," said NOYB founder Max Schrems.

The group filed a complaint with the Austrian data protection authority on Thursday. NOYB has filed scores of complaints with EU and national privacy watchdogs against major tech firms for alleged privacy infringements.

A Google spokesperson defended the company's position, stating: "This complaint fails to recognize the significant privacy protections we've built into the Privacy Sandbox APIs...and the meaningful privacy improvement they provide over today's technologies, including third-party cookies."

"Privacy Sandbox is designed to improve user privacy and provide the industry with privacy-preserving alternatives to cross-site tracking. We've been closely engaging with privacy and competition regulators globally, and will continue to do that to reach a balanced outcome that works for users and the entire ecosystem," the spokesperson added.

NOYB was in the news earlier this month when it launched a complaint against Microsoft, accusing the Windows maker of offloading its responsibilities for children's personal data onto schools ill-equipped to handle such a task.

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