Google Won’t Kill Third-Party Cookies After All

Google announced back in 2023 that the company would be getting rid of third-party cookies in Chrome, which allow companies to better track our activity online, allowing for more targeted ads. But in a surprise announcement Monday, the tech giant says it’s abandoning the plan to completely kill third-party cookies under its Privacy Sandbox project in favor of a more customized experience that allows users to adjust some of the ways they’re tracked online.

“Instead of deprecating third-party cookies, we would introduce a new experience in Chrome that lets people make an informed choice that applies across their web browsing, and they’d be able to adjust that choice at any time,” Google’s Anthony Chavez announced in a blog post. “We’re discussing this new path with regulators, and will engage with the industry as we roll this out.”

Why does this matter? Cookies are the backbone of the commercial internet in the sense that they allow the kind of targeting that was previously impossible in broadcast mediums like radio and TV in the 20th century. Cookies enabled advertisers to say they wanted to target people who had recently shopped for fishing gear or searched for trips to Spain. With that information, companies could make more narrow attempts at getting their products and services

Details are still pretty scarce when it comes to what this customized experience may look like in Chrome. But the Privacy Sandbox will still be continuing as a project, offering alternative ways for consumers to opt in. Google explains that it’s been discussing these changes with the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) and the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), two major regulators, and Digiday reports there are plans for the tech company to discuss the future of ad tracking with major companies soon.

“We’re grateful to all the organizations and individuals who have worked with us over the last four years to develop, test and adopt the Privacy Sandbox,” Chavez wrote on Monday. “And as we finalize this approach, we’ll continue to consult with the CMA, ICO and other regulators globally. We look forward to continued collaboration with the ecosystem on the next phase of the journey to a more private web.”