By C. Perera, JadeTimes News
Google has reversed its decision to phase out third party cookies in its Chrome browser, citing concerns from advertisers and regulatory scrutiny. The company now plans to introduce a new experience that allows users to make informed choices about cookie usage.
After years of pledging to eliminate third party cookies from Chrome, Google announced on Monday that it will retain these cookies. This decision comes amid concerns from advertisers, Google's primary revenue source, who argued that the removal of cookies would hinder their ability to collect data for personalized ads, forcing them to rely on Google's user databases. The UK's Competition and Markets Authority had also scrutinized Google's plan, worrying it would stifle competition in digital advertising.
"Instead of deprecating third party cookies, we will introduce a new experience in Chrome that lets people make an informed choice that applies across their web browsing, and they can adjust that choice at any time," said Anthony Chavez, vice president of the Google backed Privacy Sandbox initiative, in a blog post. Since 2019, Google has been developing the Privacy Sandbox initiative to enhance online privacy while supporting digital businesses, with a primary goal of phasing out third party cookies.
Cookies, small packets of information, enable websites and advertisers to identify individual users and track their browsing habits, but they can also be used for unwanted surveillance. In the European Union, cookies are regulated by the General Data Protection Regulation , which requires publishers to obtain explicit consent from users to store their cookies. Major browsers also offer options to delete cookies on demand.
Chavez mentioned that Google is collaborating with regulators like the UK's CMA and Information Commissioner's Office, as well as publishers and privacy groups, on the new approach while continuing to invest in the Privacy Sandbox program. The announcement received mixed reactions.
"Advertising stakeholders will no longer have to prepare to quit third party cookies cold turkey," said eMarketer analyst Evelyn Mitchell Wolf. Lena Cohen, staff technologist at the Electronic Frontier Foundation, warned that cookies could lead to consumer harm, such as predatory ads targeting vulnerable groups. "Google’s decision to continue allowing third party cookies, despite other major browsers blocking them for years, is a direct consequence of their advertising driven business model," Cohen stated.
