Google had said it would phase out third-party cookies in Chrome in 2023, which allow companies to better track users’ online activities and serve more targeted ads. But in a surprise announcement on Monday, the tech giant said it was abandoning plans to phase out third-party cookies entirely under its Privacy Sandbox project in favor of a more tailored experience that lets users adjust how they’re tracked online.
“Rather than eliminating third-party cookies, we’re introducing a new experience in Chrome that gives users the ability to make informed choices that apply across their web browsing, and let them adjust those choices at any time,” Google’s Anthony Chavez announced in a blog post. “We’re consulting with regulators about this new path, and will work with the industry as we roll it out.”
Why is this important? Cookies are the backbone of the commercial internet, allowing for targeting that wasn’t possible with broadcast media like radio and television in the 20th century. Cookies allow advertisers to say they want to target people who recently bought fishing equipment or searched for trips to Spain. With that information, companies can advertise their products and services more specifically.
Few details have been released yet about what this tailored experience will look like in Chrome, but the Privacy Sandbox will continue as a project and provide another way for consumers to opt in. Google has explained that it is discussing these changes with two key regulators, the UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) and the UK Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), and Digiday reports that the tech company will soon be consulting with major companies about the future of ad tracking.
“We would like to thank all the organizations and individuals who have collaborated with us over the past four years in developing, testing and deploying the Privacy Sandbox,” Chavez wrote on Monday. “We will continue to consult with the CMA, the ICO and other regulators around the world as we finalize our approach. We look forward to our continued collaboration with the ecosystem on this next stage of our journey towards a more private web.”
