Google to retain its third-party cookies in Chrome

Google has decided to keep third-party cookies in its Chrome browser, addressing the advertising industry's long-standing concerns.

In a blog post today, Google announced that rather than 'deprecating third-party cookies,' it will offer a 'new experience in Chrome.' This update will enable users to make informed choices about their web browsing, with the option to adjust these settings at any time.

According to the blog post, Google claims that "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 executives are already in discussions with regulators, including the U.K.’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) and Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), and plan to soon engage with the industry.

Those who have invested time and effort into third-party cookie alternatives need not worry: Google will retain the APIs in the Sandbox. According to Anthony Chavez, VP of Google's Privacy Sandbox, the plan is to continue investing in these technologies to further enhance 'privacy and utility.' Additionally, new privacy controls, such as the recently announced IP Protection (i.e., IP masking for privacy protection) in Chrome’s Incognito mode, will be integrated into the Sandbox.

In 2020, Google revealed its intention to 'phase out support' for third-party cookies, along with cross-site tracking identifiers, fingerprinting, and similar methods in Chrome by 2022. While the aim was to replace these with privacy-conscious alternatives without disrupting the web’s advertising model, this timeline was initially postponed to 2023, then to 2024, and in April, a third delay pushed the deadline to sometime in 2025.