Google presents another “plot twist” in its privacy announcements and states that it will ultimately not remove third-party cookies in Chrome as previously announced through the Privacy Sandbox initiative. This change is in response to various industry reactions, including concerns from advertisers, developers, and regulators regarding the complete elimination of these cookies in the digital ecosystem.
Henceforth, internet users will be able to manage their privacy directly from the browser settings, instead of facing the pop-up notices that traditionally appear to accept or reject cookies.
“We have decided to maintain our current approach of providing users with the option of third-party cookies in Chrome and will not implement a new independent notice for third-party cookies. Users can continue choosing the best option in Chrome’s privacy and security settings,” stated on the official website.
As justification, they added that since the announcement of the Privacy Sandbox initiative in 2019, “new opportunities have emerged to protect and secure the user’s browsing experience with AI, and the global regulatory landscape has evolved significantly.”
(We do not know, but neither does Google) The announcement of not removing third-party cookies generates a mixed reaction within the industry. On the one hand, those who rely on these cookies to personalize ads and measure the performance of campaigns may see this as a partial victory. However, Google ensures that the implementation of Privacy Sandbox will continue, suggesting that third-party cookies will not disappear, but their use will be optimized through new tools.
As explained on the website, “The goal of the Privacy Sandbox initiative is to develop new ways to enhance online privacy while ensuring a sustainable internet with advertising… We will continue to work with the ecosystem to determine how these technologies can be best utilized for the industry and consumers.”
Google had previously proposed some (unsuccessful) solutions for advertisers that are more respectful of privacy when collecting information from internet users. For instance, APIs like FLoC (Federated Learning of Cohorts) and Turtledove allowed for targeted advertising to groups of users with similar interests, instead of specific individuals.
Then they introduced Topics, a targeted advertising system that was announced with much fanfare but never made it out of the testing phase.
They also created a noise laboratory (which still exists) for developers to experiment with reports and adapt the measurement APIs to their specific needs. In this space, the company offers code examples to address key usage cases.
Google’s change of course regarding third-party cookies implies a transition towards a more sophisticated privacy model, which requires advertisers to adapt to new forms of measurement and campaign personalization. Although they will not be completely removed, control over cookies will be more in the hands of users, who will be able to manage their preferences through Chrome’s privacy settings.
This does not mean that advertisers will lose the ability to conduct effective advertising, but rather that they will need to adopt the solutions proposed by Privacy Sandbox to continue personalizing their campaigns in an ethical and privacy-respectful manner.
Google also mentioned that it will continue working on improving tracking protection in Chrome’s incognito mode, which already blocks third-party cookies by default. This includes IP Protection, slated for release in the third quarter of 2025. “Additionally, we will continue investing to make Chrome the most trusted browser in the world, with technologies like Safe Browsing, Security Check, integrated password protection, AI security, and much more,” the company assured.
It was also indicated that in the coming months, they will be gathering feedback and recommendations through a shared and updated roadmap for these technologies, “including our future investment areas.”
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