Google announced Monday that third-party cookies are here to stay on its Chrome browser, eliminating plans to deprecate cookies by the second half of 2024.
The tech giant disabled cookies for 1% of Chrome users in early January as part of its twice-postponed plan to phase out third-party cookies for all users.
This first step, which involved approximately 30 million randomly selected users, served as a test of Google’s Privacy Sandbox initiative to offer a range of cookie alternatives for advertisers and web developers.
However, Monday’s announcement by Privacy Sandbox Vice President Anthony Chavez does not directly mention the results of this test phase, saying only that the transition to a cookie-less Chrome browser would require “significant work from many participants and will have an impact on publishers, advertisers, and everyone involved in online advertising.”
“In light of this, we are proposing an updated approach that elevates user choice,” Chavez wrote. “Instead of deprecating third-party cookies, we would introduce a new experience in Chrome that lets people make an informed choice that applies across their web browsing, and they’d be able to adjust that choice at any time.”
Chavez did not provide many details about the new planned changes for the Chrome browser user experience, but noted that Google will continue to encourage developers to utilize the cookie-less tracking alternatives made available through the Privacy Sandbox. He also noted the company has plans for “additional privacy controls” such as the addition of IP Protection to the browser’s Incognito mode.
Google keeps cookies after multiple delays to Privacy Sandbox timeline
Google originally planned to begin its third-party cookie phaseout in early 2022, and later pushed it to late 2023 before settling on the now-canceled 2024 deadline. Chavez previously cited the need for more testing as the reason for the delays.
In the meantime, competitors Mozilla Firefox and Apple Safari already disabled third-party cookies, with Firefox releasing its “Enhanced Tracking Protection” feature in September 2019 and Safari adding “Intelligent Tracking Prevention” in March 2020.
Had they come to fruition, Google’s plans would have dealt the largest blow to third-party cookies, given the company’s estimated browser market share of approximately 65%, according to StatCounter.
The change also would have required advertisers to adopt Google’s Privacy Sandbox APIs in order to continue serve relevant ads to users while maintaining user anonymity.
Google faces backlash from privacy advocates, ad industry over cookie announcement
The decision to no longer cease support for third-party cookies was met with criticism from internet privacy advocates and ad industry professionals who had been adapting their own systems to accommodate the anticipated change.
“Google’s announcement underscores their ongoing commitment to profits over user privacy. Safari and Firefox have blocked third-party cookies by default since 2020, when Google pledged to do the same. Third-party cookies are one of the most pervasive tracking technologies, enabling advertising companies and data brokers to collect and sell information about users’ online activities,” Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) Staff Technologist Lena Cohen said in a statement.
Cohen stated that nearly 80% of Google’s revenue comes from online advertising and accused the company of putting the interests of advertisers over the privacy of its users. However, many advertisers also felt scorned by the Google’s decision to halt its cookie phaseout due to the years-long efforts many have put in to preparing for the change.
“So Google because you’ve pulled the pin on removing 3rd party cookies, after making the ad industry scramble around for half a decade – I’m going to have to invoice you for my wasted time,” Alkimi Exchange Chief Commercial Officer Thomas Scovell said in a post on X.
SC Media reached out to Google for more information on its decision not to end third-party cookie support, its future plans to allow users to choose how companies track them and its response to critics who say its decision undermines privacy, and did not receive a response.
