Google's Latest Announcement: No Immediate End for Third-Party Cookies in Chrome
Last week, Google made waves in the privacy and advertising communities by announcing they will not be phasing out third-party cookies in their Chrome browser.
This decision marks a significant end to their previous plans, which have seen multiple delays since their initial announcement in 2020. The challenge has been balancing user privacy demands with advertisers’ needs for robust targeting and attribution capabilities.
Timeline of Key Events:
- March 2020: Google announces the intent to remove third-party cookies.
- June 2021: Google delays third-party cookie deprecation by two years.
- July 2022: Google delays third-party cookie deprecation again by one year.
- August 2023: Google plans to launch access to the Privacy Sandbox API.
- January 2024: Google begins tests on a new tracking protection feature, affecting 1% of Chrome users.
- April 2024: Google postpones cookie deprecation.
- July 2024: Google announces a shift to user-choice features within Chrome.
In the words of Anthony Chavez, VP of the Privacy Sandbox, “We are proposing an updated approach that elevates user choice. Instead of deprecating third-party cookies, we would introduce a new experience in Chrome that lets people make an informed choice that applies across their web browsing, and they’d be able to adjust that choice at any time. We’re discussing this new path with regulators and will engage with the industry as we roll this out.” (source)
This decision comes as other major tech players, such as Apple, have introduced privacy-focused features like “App Tracking Transparency,” which allows users to opt out of tracking. Browsers like Firefox, Brave, and Microsoft Edge have also rolled out their privacy measures.
For digital marketers, Google’s repeated delays in phasing out third-party cookies have been a sign of the complexities involved in transitioning to a new model. The changing landscape, including stricter privacy laws across various states and countries, means marketers cannot afford to become complacent.
Geoffrey Martin, the CEO of Ogury, a global ad-tech company, summed up the industry’s sentiment: “Advertisers should not view Google’s announcement as an opportunity to postpone their move to solutions that do not exclusively rely on third-party identifiers. It’s pointless for our industry to cling to a model that is doomed to disappear. Rather, it’s time for advertisers to invest in alternative solutions that allow them to scale independently of future industry decisions while prioritizing consumer privacy.” (source) While this can certainly be viewed as self-serving from a CEO of an “alternative solution” – we have always pushed for a mass-multi-channel approach at Granular so all eggs (cookies) are not in one basket.
At Granular, our goal is to support clients in making informed decisions that align with their business goals. We are committed to keeping our clients updated on developments in cookie deprecation, browser tracking prevention, and consent strategies for their websites. Our recent initiatives around GA4 transitions, privacy sandbox updates, UA data preservation, and prepping for 3P cookie depreciation have set us and our clients up for continued success.
We have been at the cutting edge of ad tech updates since 2014, often being one of the first and one of the few agencies on new ad platforms, testing new measurement technologies, and keeping our clients business objectives as our main focus.
While some preach that 1st Party Data is all you should focus on, we have continued to leverage 3P and alternative data sources to not simply focus on 1P (already in your funnel) audiences – but to expand and reach new audiences and find new customers for our clients. With our Granular Programmatic practice and strong GA4 and measurement focus we have continued to expand the reach and customer acquisition for clients. Third-party cookies remaining, for however long, is good for business.
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