Google announced that it has decided to postpone its plans to disable support for third-party cookies in its Chrome browser until the second half of 2024. The original plan was to implement this change in 2023, but Google has extended the timeline to give developers, publishers, and advertisers more time to adapt to new technologies aimed at preserving user privacy in targeted advertising.
The delay also allows Google to seek approval from regulators in various countries, including the UK where the company has reached an agreement with the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) regarding its Privacy Sandbox project.
The Privacy Sandbox initiative, launched by Google in 2019, aims to develop alternative solutions to third-party cookies that do not compromise user privacy. One such solution is the Federal Learning of Cohorts (FLOC), which groups users based on their interests rather than individual identifiers.
The concern with third-party cookies is that they enable advertisers to track user activity across different websites, creating personalized user profiles for targeted advertising. This raises concerns about privacy violations and user safety. Consequently, some browsers like Firefox, Safari, Edge, and Brave have already implemented default measures to block third-party cookies.
Google, which heavily relies on advertising revenue, aims to strike a balance between the interests of users, publishers, and advertisers. The company is also worried that the elimination of third-party cookies might lead advertisers to resort to more invasive tracking methods like browser fingerprinting, which collects various data from the user’s browser and device for identification purposes.
“This deliberate approach to transitioning away from third-party cookies ensures that the web can continue to thrive without relying on cross-site tracking identifiers or surreptitious methods,” wrote Anthony Chavez, Vice President of Privacy Sandbox at Google.
Google Chrome is the world’s most widely used browser, commanding a market share of approximately 66%. Therefore, any changes made to the browser have the potential to impact millions of users and businesses globally.
In recent months, Google has released several trial versions of the new Privacy Sandbox API in Chrome for developers to test. Google has been actively engaging with developers, publishers, advertisers, and regulators through platforms like W3C to refine its design proposals based on their feedback.
“Starting in August, Privacy Sandbox tests will expand to millions of users across the globe, and we will gradually increase the number of participants throughout the year and into 2023,” Chavez added. “Before being included in the tests, users will be presented with a message providing them the opportunity to manage their participation.”