Google has announced it will not stop supporting third-party cookies in Chrome until at least 2024 amid pushback over its proposals.
Google has been working to eliminate third-party cookies and has been pushing Privacy Sandbox, touting it as a privacy-respecting alternative. Needless to say, not everyone is convinced, with the new protocol receiving plenty of pushback. In particular, because of Google’s dominance in search and the browser market, some are concerned about Google’s hand in developing something as critical as an ad tech to replace cookies.
The company appears to be listening to some of the concerns.
“The most consistent feedback we’ve received is the need for more time to evaluate and test the new Privacy Sandbox technologies before deprecating third-party cookies in Chrome,” writes Anthony Chavez, VP, Privacy Sandbox. “This feedback aligns with our commitment to the CMA to ensure that the Privacy Sandbox provides effective, privacy-preserving technologies and the industry has sufficient time to adopt these new solutions. This deliberate approach to transitioning from third-party cookies ensures that the web can continue to thrive, without relying on cross-site tracking identifiers or covert techniques like fingerprinting.”
As a result, Google will not phase out third-party cookies until at least 2024.
“By Q3 2023, we expect the Privacy Sandbox APIs to be launched and generally available in Chrome,” Chavez continues. “As developers adopt these APIs, we now intend to begin phasing out third-party cookies in Chrome in the second half of 2024. As always, you can find up-to-date timelines and milestones on the Privacy Sandbox website.”