Google will begin automatically blocking third-party cookies in the Chrome browser in early 2024. Starting January 4th, one percent of all Chrome users will initially receive a corresponding notification. In the second half of next year, automatic blocking of third-party cookies will be the default for all Chrome users.
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Third-party cookies, as data stored by the browser, are used for user tracking across different websites, for example to track user behavior and interests and to display personalized advertising. This has been a known problem for years and is seen by many as an invasion of privacy. Apple and Mozilla have therefore no longer allowed third-party cookies in their own browsers by default for three or four years.
“Tracking Protection” may not be problem-free
For Firefox, Mozilla initially called this feature “Enhanced Tracking Protection” in 2019, which was most recently updated to “Total Cookie Protection”. Google is now following suit and mentioning its blocking of third-party cookies simply “Tracking Protection”. Although competing browsers have been offering the feature for a long time, Google expects possible problems with individual websites.
Behind the scenes, Google has been preparing for this. About last month one of the leading Chrome developers takes the risk a website that no longer functions after switching off third-party cookies as “moderate”. If there are problems, these can therefore be approved manually. Although Firefox and Safari have been blocking them for years, according to current statistics, almost half of all websites still ask Third-party cookies in the Chrome browser away.
Privacy Sandbox as a cookie alternative
Advertisers prefer personalized advertising, but so does Google because it can charge more money. That’s why the data company has developed the “Privacy Sandbox” project as an alternative. In doing so, Google wants to prevent user tracking so that advertisers can still display personalized advertising. The developers completed the API for this in May 2023 and the first tests with the new privacy functions have been running since October.
However, competing advertising providers oppose the privacy sandbox. This would give you less relevant data, while Google itself has access to this information. Google has anti-competitive advantages, for example through users logging into a Google account in the Chrome browser.
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