Google reversed its previous stance and now says it won’t eliminate third-party cookies. The search giant has backed away from allowing Chrome users to disable tracking, saying it won’t be launching a stand-alone opt-in/opt-out prompt after announcing its upcoming introduction of that tool last July.
Anthony Chavez, VP of Privacy Sandbox, made the announcement in a blog post on Tuesday.
The elimination of third-party cookies announced five years ago was part of Google’s Privacy Sandbox initiative that prompted the industry to start looking at new ways of targeting ads. To facilitate the demise of cookies, the plan was to launch a one-click prompt to allow users to opt-out of third-party cookies. The goal of the Privacy Sandbox initiative is to develop new ways to strengthen online privacy while ensuring a sustainable, ad-supported internet.
However, with the loss of two antitrust cases in less than a year and the potential of having to break up its business, Google has been under pressure.
Chavez adds that Google will continue to enhance tracking protections in Chrome’s Incognito mode, which already blocks third-party cookies by default. This includes IP Protection, which Google plans to launch in Q3 of this year. He also acknowledges a lot has changed since the Privacy Sandbox initiative was announced in 2019.
“For example, the adoption of privacy-enhancing technologies has accelerated, new opportunities to safeguard and secure people’s browsing experiences with AI have emerged, and the regulatory landscape around the world has evolved considerably,” Chavez wrote. “Taking all of these factors into consideration, we’ve made the decision to maintain our current approach to offering users third-party cookie choice in Chrome, and will not be rolling out a new standalone prompt for third-party cookies. Users can continue to choose the best option for themselves in Chrome’s Privacy and Security Settings.”
Sean Dixon, head of digital at PHD, says the conversation around tracking, privacy and cookies is a very long and complex one. There’s no question that yesterday’s announcement was a big one, he says, but he believes the conversation is continuing in the same direction. “Between regulations, technology from other channels and platforms, and consumer attitudes, the challenges presented by the loss of cookies still have to be dealt with. Google’s decision here doesn’t call off the alarm, really, but suggests that Google won’t have as active a role in driving the change,” Dixon says.
“Its in advertisers best interests to review how they target and measure their media investment, and the investment of time and money already made by many advertisers in exploring alternatives to third-party cookie-based targeting has not been wasted by any means. Across the platforms and identities available to clients, third-party cookie targeting has been on the decline, many alternatives already exist and will continue to be developed.”
Dixon adds that since Google announced the end of third-party cookies four or five years ago, the landscape today is wildly different with regulatory and other legal developments, greater consumer control, opportunities with artificial intelligence, and actions by other platforms.
“Google’s decision to take less of an active role by not prompting consumer decisions in-browser – on top of the prompt seen in just about every website out there – is perhaps less significant than it once might have been. Add to that Google’s specific legal situation, where there’s a possibility they divest themselves of Chrome, and it makes sense to take less of active role in such a significant industry issue.”
Robin LeGassicke, chief transformation officer at Cairns Oneil, says she expects regulators to continue to monitor to ensure Google doesn’t have too much power.
“For marketers, they continue to have the same options they’ve had for targeting,” she says. “Many of them are making decisions based on the highest level of privacy laws within their regions paired with the values of the organization and the collection and utilization of first-party data, with the appropriate permissions. Having a data strategy which leverages a CDP (customer data platform) with a permissions centre, and following privacy laws is a must for digital marketers.”
