Google has decided not to eliminate third-party cookies in Chrome as previously planned
Google announced on Monday that it will not be eliminating third-party cookies in Chrome as previously planned. Instead, the company will be introducing a new feature that will give users more control over their web browsing preferences. Google stated that removing cookies would have negative effects on online publishers and advertisers. This decision represents a major change from Google’s original goal of phasing out third-party cookies by 2025.
“[We] propose an updated approach that increases user choice,” wrote Anthony Chavez, vice president of Google’s Privacy Sandbox initiative. “Instead of removing third-party cookies, we would introduce a new Chrome experience that allows people to make informed choices about their web browsing and change their choices at any time. We will discuss this new path with regulators and engage with the industry as we roll it out .”
Google is now focusing on giving users more control over browsing data, Chavez wrote. This includes additional privacy choices such as IP protection in Chrome’s incognito mode and ongoing improvements to Privacy Sandbox APIs.
Google’s decision provides a reprieve for advertisers and publishers who use cookies to target ads and measure effectiveness. Over the past few years, the company’s plans to eliminate third-party cookies have ridden a rollercoaster of delays and regulatory hurdles. Google originally aimed to phase out these cookies by the end of 2022, but the deadline was pushed back to the end of 2024 and then to the beginning of 2025 due to various challenges and feedback from stakeholders, including advertisers, publishers and regulatory bodies such as the UK Competition and Competition Authority. Markets Authority (CMA).
In January 2024, Google started rolling out a new tracking protection feature that by default limits third-party cookies to 1% of Chrome users worldwide. This move was seen as the first step towards the complete destruction of cookies. However, concerns and criticism about the availability and effectiveness of Google’s Privacy Sandbox, a collection of APIs designed to replace third-party cookies, caused further delays.
The CMA and other regulatory bodies have raised concerns about Google’s Privacy Sandbox, fearing it will restrict competition and give Google an unfair advantage in the digital advertising market. These concerns have led to extended review periods and additional audits, complicating Google’s timeline for phasing out third-party cookies. Shortly after Google’s announcement on Monday, the CMA said it was considering the impact of Google’s change of direction.
