Google No Longer Plans to Eliminate Third-Party Cookies in Chrome

[MacRumors]

Google no longer plans to deprecate third-party cookies in the Chrome browser, marking a notable change to a prior decision to phase out third-party cookies by 2025. Google announced its cookie updates in a blog post shared today, where the company said that it instead plans to focus on user choice.

Rather than eliminating third-party cookies entirely, Google will introduce "a new experience in Chrome" that is designed to allow people to "make an informed choice" applicable across their web browsing.

Back in 2020, Google claimed that it would phase out support for third-party cookies in Chrome by 2022, a timeline that was pushed back multiple times due to complaints from advertisers and regulatory issues. Google has been working on a Privacy Sandbox to find ways to improve privacy while still delivering info to advertisers, but third-party cookies will now be sticking around so as not to impact publishers and advertisers.

The UK's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) had opposed Google's plan to stop relying on third-party cookies because a shift to Privacy Sandbox could limit competition in digital advertising, and now the CMA says that it is reviewing Google's new plan for a user-choice prompt.

Google does not plan to stop working on its Privacy Sandbox APIs, and the company says they will improve over time so that developers will have a privacy preserving alternative to cookies. Additional privacy controls, such as IP Protection, will be added to Chrome's Incognito mode.

As of now, the new customer choices that Google is planning for are being discussed with regulators, with more information to come at a later date.

Article Link: Google No Longer Plans to Eliminate Third-Party Cookies in Chrome

 

[breenmask]

google under the control of advertisers.

 

[sniffies]

Once shady, always shady

 

[sevoneone]

Google: "We respect our users' best interests, it is just not enabled by default and we'll keep moving or renaming the setting every 3rd software update."

 

[szw-mapple fan]

No reason to use it anymore when there are tons of better Chromium options (not to mention Firefox and Safari which are both quite decent) out there without needing to deal with Google’s privacy issues.

 

[mevans7]

A disappointment.

 

[GuyDouche]

I shouldn’t be surprised that people still use and swear by Chrome. There are far better browsers out there

 

[blazerunner]

Brave Browser

 

[Shaggymax]

"Don't Be Evil". - Google

 

[Reason077]

Once shady, always shady

The plan to eliminate cookies is/was itself a shady move, as it would disadvantage competing advertising networks in favour of Google's own ads.

 

[MallardDuck]

So keeping 3rd party cookies, but still blocking the API that real adblockers use. What a surprise.

 

[MallardDuck]

No reason to use it anymore where there are tons of better Chromium options (not to mention Firefox and Safari which are both quite decent) out there without needing to deal with Google’s privacy issues.

I'd used edge, figuring it was the lesser of evils, but then they started pushing all the shopping spyware, so that went into the bit bucket. Safari, and then firefox when it doesn't work are the go-to's these days.

 

[Yujenisis]

Do no evil.

 

[mansplains]

I switched to Arc Browser a little over a year ago and haven't looked back. I use Brave and Firefox Dev as work requires. Arc Search is getting better on iOS, but I still use Safari there.

 

[Yujenisis]

google under the control of advertisers.

To no one’s surprise, the advertiser is Google itself over a quarter of the time.

 

[JordanCautious]

Doesn't really affect me since I only use Safari lol. Safari with iCloud Private Relay is really nice. Only thing people forget is that you have to turn off search history on your google account or simply not be signed in if you don't want Google to track your searches.

I saw someone on either Reddit or here that said Google was still recommending them products based on search terms despite using Safari in response to the recent privacy ad. You have to turn off history for your Google account and you'll be more or less private.

Look into something called "My Google Activity" page on your Google account.

 

[coffeemilktea]

What I really wish Google would change their minds about is Manifest V3, since that's made specifically to render adblockers ineffective. 😩

...I doubt they'll cancel those particular set of plans though.

 

[burgman]

google under the control of advertisers.

Maybe actually read the article you’re only half right

 

[breenmask]

Maybe actually read the article you’re only half right

I did read the article.

 

[steve09090]

The plan to eliminate cookies is/was itself a shady move, as it would disadvantage competing advertising networks in favour of Google's own ads.

Their plan. The EU are watching, but their cookies kept getting turned off.

People generally don’t need anti virus on a Mac, but then they put on Chrome? Chrome should be listed as Malware.

 

[Amazing Iceman]

google under the control of advertisers.

Advertisers that successfully lobbied UK Government.
On one hand, governments want privacy, and at the same time interfere with any attempts to improve privacy.
One more proof they don't understand what's going on.

 

[Pakaku]

due to complaints from advertisers

As if advertisers are of any value

 

[shapesinaframe]

Doesn't really affect me since I only use Safari lol. Safari with iCloud Private Relay is really nice. Only thing people forget is that you have to turn off search history on your google account or simply not be signed in if you don't want Google to track your searches.

I saw someone on either Reddit or here that said Google was still recommending them products based on search terms despite using Safari in response to the recent privacy ad. You have to turn off history for your Google account and you'll be more or less private.

Look into something called "My Google Activity" page on your Google account.

I'm pretty sure that setting just stops your search history being displayed, google is still tracking every move you make.

 

[jjrtiger]

Google no longer plans to deprecate third-party cookies in the Chrome browser, marking a notable change to a prior decision to phase out third-party cookies by 2025. Google announced its cookie updates in a blog post shared today, where the company said that it instead plans to focus on user choice.

Rather than eliminating third-party cookies entirely, Google will introduce "a new experience in Chrome" that is designed to allow people to "make an informed choice" applicable across their web browsing.

Back in 2020, Google claimed that it would phase out support for third-party cookies in Chrome by 2022, a timeline that was pushed back multiple times due to complaints from advertisers and regulatory issues. Google has been working on a Privacy Sandbox to find ways to improve privacy while still delivering info to advertisers, but third-party cookies will now be sticking around so as not to impact publishers and advertisers.

The UK's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) had opposed Google's plan to stop relying on third-party cookies because a shift to Privacy Sandbox could limit competition in digital advertising, and now the CMA says that it is reviewing Google's new plan for a user-choice prompt.

Google does not plan to stop working on its Privacy Sandbox APIs, and the company says they will improve over time so that developers will have a privacy preserving alternative to cookies. Additional privacy controls, such as IP Protection, will be added to Chrome's Incognito mode.

As of now, the new customer choices that Google is planning for are being discussed with regulators, with more information to come at a later date.

Article Link: Google No Longer Plans to Eliminate Third-Party Cookies in Chrome

What surprises me is how pervasive this browser is in enterprises. It is typically the default browser by policy. One could argue this is for compatibility but the majority of time Firefox (Win) and Safari are adequate. Edge started out fine until MS bloated it

 

[SanderEvers]

Making it a user choice is good. It currently is a user choice (you can block third party cookies in the settings). They should make the support of Manifest V2 also a user choice, though.

Blocking third party cookies can give issues if you use multiple domains for your website(s) but with a single sign in.