An anonymous source purporting to work for Google has suggested that third party cookies - collected for targeted advertising - will be replaced with a new software not unlike Apple's iAd, which collates mobile data. Safari has blocked third-party cookies since 2003.

With the world's largest internet search company under scrutiny from the EU over competition and U.S congress edging closer to favouring Do Not Track legislation, Google must find a new way to ensure their dominant brand - encompassing the world's most popular web browser in Chrome, as well as possessing a third of the $100bn global online advertising market - continues to reap the lucrative rewards of data mining.

The source was reported to have said:  "The AdID would be transmitted to advertisers and ad networks that have agreed to basic guidelines, giving consumers more privacy and control over how they browse the Web."

Google decline to comment directly on the rumour.

"We believe that technological enhancements can improve users' security while ensuring the Web remains economically viable," a Google spokesperson told CNET.

"We and others have a number of concepts in this area, but they're all at very early stages."