Google Ads is introducing a new system it calls  “confidential matching” which provides a new way to protect your first-party data and the confidentiality of your clients while still integrating your data into its measurement tools and audience matching systems. 

In the announcement, Google says confidential matching will use “special software and hardware known as Trusted Execution Environments (TEEs), [which will] unlock new ways for businesses to use their first-party data to reach customers and measure the impact of their digital ads campaigns.”

This means that Google will be unable to see any of your uploaded email addresses, phone numbers, or other customer data unless that information is already in Google Ads’ systems. 

The company says this “gives added data security and transparency, by isolating your business information during processing so that no one – including Google – can access the data being processed.”

Rather than just being an option for advertisers, Google is making confidential matching the default for any time data is uploaded to be used for Customer Match, and Ginny Marvin from Google says it will be coming to enhanced conversions and other Google Ads features in the future:

Now when you connect your first party data to Google Ads for Customer Match, and soon for enhanced conversions, it will automatically be processed using confidential matching – no additional work is required on your end.

Confidential matching is powered by a technology called confidential computing, which uses special software, and hardware called a trusted execution environment or TEE (you may recall we mentioned this at GML this year) to securely process data.

Confidential matching can ensure your data remains encrypted and unseen by anyone, including Google.

Advertisers also have the option to encrypt their data themselves and receive proof that their data is processed as intended.

Confidential matching is now available to all customers globally.