Google Deprecating Support for Third-Party Cookies
Google is slowly working to deprecate support for third-party cookies in its Chrome browser. It wants to get rid of third-party cookies for 1% of Chrome users worldwide in the first quarter of next year.
According to Google:
“In Q1 of 2024, we plan to deprecate third-party cookies for one percent of Chrome users. This will support developers in conducting real world experiments that assess the readiness and effectiveness of their products without third-party cookies. In addition, in Q4 of 2023, we will introduce the ability for developers to simulate Chrome third-party cookie deprecation for a configurable percentage of their users. This will enable developer-controlled testing that can benefit from higher levels of third party cookie-less traffic.”
The company stated that the plans have been developed with regulatory oversight and input from the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA). The organization also oversees the implementation. This will guarantee that it will not shift the playing field in Google’s favor.
Privacy Sandbox aims to prevent secret tracking. It eliminates third-party cookies and identifies but it still serves relevant content and ads while protecting the privacy of the user.
Earlier this February, the company has already started testing Privacy Sandbox on Android. But only for eligible mobile devices that run Android 13.
The APIs will be available to all users without requiring them to participate in a tribe in Chrome 115 which will happen in July 2023.
In a nutshell, the idea is to create signals on-device according to the user’s browsing activity for one week. Then, it will share the information with ad tech vendors so they can serve targeted ads.
It gives users control over their ever-changing interests with the categories chosen for each period from the most frequently visited topics.
Chrome 2024
Even though Google is planning to turn off third-party cookies in Chrome in 2024, the timeline could still change. This will depend on feedback, the result of the tests, and stakeholder discussions.
Google has been working on various methods to deliver targeted ads without the need to use annoying third-party cookies.
Third-party cookies have traditionally been used for various purposes on the internet, but their necessity and role have been a topic of debate.
They were commonly used by advertisers and marketers to track users’ browsing behavior across multiple websites. This allowed them to deliver targeted advertisements and personalize content based on user’s interests and preferences.
The use of third-party cookies has raised concerns about privacy and user tracking. These cookies allow advertisers and other entities to collect data about users’ online activities, often without their explicit consent.
As a result, there has been a shift towards greater user privacy and control over data. Many web browsers and regulations now restrict or block third-party cookies, promoting alternative approaches for advertising, analytics, and personalization, such as first-party cookies, contextual advertising, and anonymized data analysis.
The scheduled portion of Privacy Sandbox includes six application programming interfaces. The advertisers can target ads without these cookies and provide some measure of privacy.
