Google Delays Third-Party Cookies Phase-Out Yet Again!

Google is once again delaying the removal of third-party cookies from its Chrome browser. The announcement was made on Tuesday in advance of Google’s quarterly reports and the UK Competition and Markets Authority’s (CMA) close monitoring of the entire situation. The announcement by Google in 2020 that it would stop using third-party cookies collected through its Chrome web browser marked the beginning of it all. Mozilla Firefox and Apple’s Safari had already taken the lead in abandoning the practice even back then. Four years have passed, and for the third time since 2020, Google has decided to postpone the deprecation of its cookies.

Google delays cookie deprecation for the third time

Due to difficulties testing programmatic ad markets without cookies, the tech company decided to delay its plans to phase out cookies. The setback was revealed by the company on Tuesday, with UK regulators being held responsible. In a blog post, Google formally declared that more time is needed for the UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), the antitrust body in charge of the Chrome Privacy Sandbox, to thoroughly evaluate the effectiveness and ethical practices of the company’s cookie substitute.

Read More: Google’s Third-Party Cookies Deprecation Rolls Out Today

Google has now extended its original deadline, which was set for January 2020, three times. At the time, the internet giant pledged to increase user security when they browse the web by phasing out third-party cookies in two years. However, Google has already applied the brakes twice since then. And each time, it’s been to give the advertising sector additional time to prepare for something that has a lot of ifs, buts, and maybes. When Google began to phase out cookies for one percent of browser traffic at the beginning of the year, concerns lingered about the timing of more significant changes.

Google’s intention to deprecate third-party cookies

For the time being, it appears that Google intends to terminate third-party cookies no later than the following year. Given this history, few people will be shocked by Google’s most recent delay. And even those who are taken by surprise may be given a pass. Ultimately, Google had been adamant for months that Chrome would no longer support third-party cookies by the end of 2024.

Read More: Amazon and Reach Partner for Targeted Ads Ahead of Third-Party Cookie Phase-Out

Privacy Sandbox

Google launched the Privacy Sandbox in August 2019 as a workable substitute for third-party cookies. Its goal is to improve online privacy while allowing efficient digital advertising. Globally, Chrome accounts for about 60% of the browser market. Thus, it was reasonable to be concerned about fair competition practices when an adtech platform integrated into its own browser, especially for other adtech platforms. Authorities have become involved as a result of this.

Here’s what they said

A statement Google posted on its website for the Privacy Sandbox stated,

“We recognize that there are ongoing challenges related to reconciling divergent feedback from the industry, regulators and developers, and will continue to engage closely with the entire ecosystem. It’s also critical that the CMA has sufficient time to review all evidence including results from industry tests, which the CMA has asked market participants to provide by the end of June. Given both of these significant considerations, we will not complete third-party cookie deprecation during the second half of Q4.”

Read More: Google Plans to Phase-Out Chrome Third Party Cookies On January 4, 2024