Third-party cookies are here to stay, for Google Chrome at least. Google announced on Monday that it won’t kill third-party cookies in Chrome after all. Instead, it plans to introduce a new experience in the browser that will give users the ability to make informed decisions about their web browsing preferences.
Currently in the process of discussing this new path with regulators, Google is focused on giving users more control over their browsing data. This includes additional privacy controls like IP protection in Chrome’s incognito mode and ongoing improvements to Privacy Sandbox APIs.
Google’s decision comes as a huge relief for advertisers and publishers who are reliant on cookies to target ads and measure performance. Over the past few years, the company’s plans to eliminate third-party cookies have been on a tumultuous journey with countless delays and regulatory hurdles. Initially, Google aimed to phase out these cookies by the end of 2022, but the deadline was pushed to late 2024 and then to early 2025 due to various challenges and feedback from stakeholders, including advertisers, publishers, and regulatory bodies like the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA).
In January 2024, Google began rolling out a new feature called Tracking Protection, which restricts third-party cookies by default for 1% of Chrome users globally. This move was perceived as the first step towards removing cookies for good. However, concerns and criticism about the readiness and effectiveness of Google’s Privacy Sandbox, a collection of APIs designed to replace third-party cookies, prompted more delays.
The CMA and other regulatory bodies have expressed concerns about Google’s Privacy Sandbox, fearing it might limit competition and give Google an unfair advantage in the digital advertising market. This concern has led to extended review periods and additional scrutiny, complicating Google’s timeline for phasing out third-party cookies.
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