"Are You a CEO Interested in a Feature Interview?"
All Interviews are 100% FREE of Charge
Google announced on Monday that it won’t phase out third-party cookies in Chrome, instead introducing a new browser experience that lets users make informed choices about their web browsing preferences. Google said that removing cookies would have a negative impact on online publishers and advertisers. The announcement marks a major shift from Google’s previous plans to phase out third-party cookies by early 2025.
“[We] “We’re proposing a modern approach to empowering users with choice,” wrote Anthony Chavez, vice president of Google’s Privacy Sandbox initiative. “Rather than eliminating third-party cookies, we’re introducing a new experience in Chrome that gives users the ability to make informed choices that apply across their web browsing, and let them adjust those choices at any time. We’re consulting with regulators about this new approach, and will work with the industry as we roll it out.”
Going forward, Chavez wrote, Google will focus on giving users more control over their browsing data, including additional privacy controls like IP protection in Chrome’s Incognito mode, and continued improvements to its Privacy Sandbox API.
Google’s decision provides reprieve for advertisers and publishers who rely on cookies to target ads and measure performance. Over the past few years, the company’s plan to eliminate third-party cookies has overcome various regulatory hurdles. Initially, Google was scheduled to remove these cookies by the end of 2022, but the deadline was extended to late 2024 and then to November 15, 2025 following various challenges and feedback from stakeholders, including advertisers, publishers, and regulators such as the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA).
In January 2024, Google announced a new feature called Tracking Protection, which would restrict third-party cookies by default for 1% of Chrome users worldwide. The move was seen as a first step towards eliminating cookies altogether. However, concerns and criticisms about the readiness and effectiveness of Google’s Privacy Sandbox, a collection of APIs designed to replace third-party cookies, led to further delays.
The CMA and other regulators Google’s Privacy Sandbox has raised concerns that it could limit competition and give the company an unfair advantage in the digital advertising market. These concerns have led to an extended review period, increased scrutiny and complicated Google’s timeline for phasing out third-party cookies. Shortly after Google’s announcement on Monday, the CMA The company said it was “considering the impact” of Google’s change of direction.