Google reverses plans to remove third-party cookies from Chrome

In 2020, Google announced a policy to 'abolish third-party cookies in the future' in its browser engine Chromium. However, after the implementation schedule was postponed several times, Google finally withdrew the plan to abolish third-party cookies, saying, 'Instead of abolishing third-party cookies, we propose a new approach to enhance user choice.'

A new path for Privacy Sandbox on the web
https://privacysandbox.com/news/privacy-sandbox-update/

Results from our display ads experiment with the Privacy Sandbox APIs - Google Ads Help
https://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/15192137?sjid=15986717256411559608-NC

In 2019, Google proposed the ' Privacy Sandbox ' as a 'new initiative to improve user privacy protections while not compromising advertising relevance and supporting a free and open ecosystem.'

Google declares that it will develop a system that 'protects user information while preserving the relevance of ads' - GIGAZINE

As part of this, Google has announced a policy to discontinue support for third-party cookies. Third-party cookies are cookies that are issued from a domain other than the website the user visited. They are used for access analysis and targeted advertising because they enable cross-domain tracking and can measure user behavior.

Chrome plans to phase out support for third-party cookies within two years - GIGAZINE

Google was planning to create a new API and token system and integrate it into Chromium in order to abolish third-party cookies. However, this new system was pointed out by the Fair Trade Commission of various countries as a possible violation of antitrust laws, as it would allow the Google ecosystem to dominate the advertising industry.

Google's new 'cookie-less system' is being eyed for antitrust violations - GIGAZINE

Google initially planned to phase out third-party cookies in 2022, but after regulators glared at them, the plan was postponed to the end of 2023. Google then further changed its plans, revealing that it would begin testing on 1% of users in the first quarter of 2024 (January to March) and phase out third-party cookies in the third quarter (July to September).

Google releases schedule for abolishing third-party cookies, scheduled to start in 2024 - GIGAZINE

However, in April 2024, the timeline for phase-out of third-party cookies was revised again, stating that the phase-out plan 'will not be completed by 2024.'

Google postpones third-party cookie phase-out schedule for the third time - GIGAZINE

On July 22, 2024, Anthony Chavez, vice president of Google's Privacy Sandbox division, said, 'Instead of eliminating third-party cookies, we're introducing a new experience in Chrome that lets you make informed choices that apply across your web browsing. We're talking to regulators about this new path and will work with the industry as we roll it out.'

At the time of writing, it is unclear what Chavez means by 'new experiences,' but The Verge, an IT news site, predicts that it could be something similar to App Tracking Transparency, Apple's opt-in privacy framework.

Google's advertising team also published a white paper outlining the results of early testing of its Privacy Sandbox technology, which showed that removing third-party cookies reduced advertising revenue, but that enabling the Privacy Sandbox API mitigated the impact.

According to a Google report, the Privacy Sandbox API has been particularly successful in increasing advertisers' spending and return on investment, but it was not effective in retargeting the same customers. Google analyzed that 'Today's remarketing relies heavily on third-party cookies, which can provide highly precise ad personalization, and this is likely because few supply- side platforms are testing the Privacy Sandbox.'

Although Google has decided not to remove support for third-party cookies, it has indicated that it will continue to develop the Privacy Sandbox API. The UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) commented, 'The CMA will now carefully consider Google's new approach to the Privacy Sandbox. We welcome comments on Google's revised approach, including the potential impact on consumer and market outcomes.'

James Rosewell, co-founder of The Movement for an Open Web, an advertising industry group that opposed the abolition of third-party cookies, said, 'We have long argued that privacy sandboxes should be allowed to compete on their merits. If advertisers like the approach and consumers value the claimed privacy benefits, it will be adopted universally. What was unacceptable was that such a solution would be forced onto the market while excluding other options.'