The cookieless plan put forth by Google has finally met its demise after years of limbo. Find out more about how Google intends to move forward.
A plan set to push through earlier this year (that was long dreaded by marketers) will not be the case after all. Yes, you’ve heard it right: Google will NO longer be deprecating third-party cookies on its Chrome browser.
This may not come as a shock to many marketers in the digital world. Then again, it may still be a shocking plot twist for some who heeded Google’s warning seriously. In a series of events, Google decided it would pivot to a different approach that no longer involves phasing out third-party cookies on its web browser, Chrome. This means that various possible scenarios are in store for Privacy Sandbox, Google’s intended cookieless solution.
Google’s new move
Anthony Chavez, the VP of Google Privacy Sandbox, issued a statement in mid-July 2024regarding the official announcement of Privacy Sandbox’s new path on the web.
He states that while early tests of the Privacy Sandbox APIs have garnered overall support from stakeholders for a competitive marketplace, the company acknowledges that the transition will affect the entire digital ecosystem. As a result, it will be going in a different direction, adopting an opt-in model for cookieless browsing.
“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,” Chavez adds.
In other words, Google intends to continue allowing third-party cookies for users who choose not to disable them.
However, in an effort to improve user privacy and maintain advertising effectiveness, Google will introduce a new solution that involves a one-time prompt where users can set preferences across all of their Google browsing experiences.
In addition, Google will continue investing in Privacy Sandbox APIs and plans to introduce IP Protection in Chrome’s Incognito Mode.
Some of the stakeholders Google is consulting with include regulators such as the UK’s Competition Markets Authority (CMA), the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), publishers, web developers, and other notable civil society groups in the advertising industry.
Google says it will continue working with these regulatory bodies to hone its Privacy Sandbox offerings and its new privacy prompt. They expect that overall performance using Privacy Sandbox APIs will continue to improve over time as industry adoption increases.
Back-and-forth cookieless plans
Recall earlier this year in January 2024, Google initiated its plan for phasing out third-party cookies entirely in Chrome. A random 1% of Chrome users received the new Tracking Protection web-browsing feature. The feature restricted third-party cookies by default, with a complete rollout of its deprecation plan by the third quarter of 2024.
However, in April of 2024, Google announced that it was delaying its cookieless plan yet again. The tech giant cited that antitrust regulators needed more time to review Google’s plans and its investigation into the Privacy Sandbox initiative.
In addition, there has been regulatory pushback and criticism by advertising groups that the phase-out would do more harm than good. Plus, the ICO claimed Google failed to meet data privacy standards with the initiative.
This is all not to say that ongoing delays and back-and-forth plans for cookies came about only in 2024 for Google. The company had been dragging this initiative on for years; when it came time to roll out its plan this year, advertisers worldwide were on edge.
Marketers across industries pivoted strategies in order to achieve sustainability in a looming cookieless world. It also meant more reliance on first-party data, cookieless mobile solutions, but also meant a lot of pushback from various advertising groups.
Fast forward to the present day, where Google’s plan to close off the Open Web is acknowledged as a failure. The ad-tech industry is pleased with Google’s decision.
James Rosewell from the “Movement for an Open Web” (which previously filed to the CMA to block the complete roll-out of the Privacy Sandbox) expressed satisfaction over Google’s latest announcement. He cites that Google’s goal was to remove the interoperability that enabled businesses to work together without interference from monopolists. But because of industry and regulatory pressure, Google has finally conceded on making their goal a reality.
Google’s proposed move is still subject to approval by regulatory oversight in the UK. We will closely watch how this impacts the advertising world in the rest of 2024.
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