Google begins testing new feature ``Tracking Protection'' with 30 million Chrome users to abolish third-party cookies

Google has announced that starting January 4, 2024, it will test ``Tracking Protection,'' which blocks third-party cookies when accessing websites, with 30 million people, or 1% of Chrome users.

Google shares update on next step toward phasing out third-party cookies in Chrome

Third-party cookies are cookies that are issued when you access a website, not by the site you visited, but by advertisements posted on the site. From the advertising side, there is the advantage of being able to place optimal ads by obtaining comprehensive information on what sites users visit, but from the user's perspective, it is important to know which sites users visit. There was concern that privacy could be violated because information about what you did was being obtained by a site other than the site you visited.

For this reason, Google is developing a technology called 'privacy sandbox' as an alternative to third-party cookies.

And, as the Privacy Sandbox plan reached a milestone, Google announced the start of a test to eliminate third-party cookies. The test was scheduled to start from the first quarter of 2024, but it has now been revealed that the specific start time is Thursday, January 4, 2024.

The test will be on the new feature 'Tracking Protection'. This blocks third-party cookies by default when visiting websites to limit cross-site tracking.

Initially, it will be applied to 1% of Chrome users, or 30 million people worldwide, and the plan is to phase out third-party cookies for all users in the second half of 2024.