Google officially reverses its decision to phase out third-party cookies in Chrome, marking the effective end of its Privacy Sandbox initiative.
Google Backtracks on Cookie Removal
Google has officially abandoned its plan to remove third-party cookies from Chrome, effectively ending its Privacy Sandbox project. Anthony Chavez, VP of Privacy Sandbox at Google, announced that the company will maintain its current approach, allowing users to choose whether to enable third-party cookies.
Privacy Sandbox: A Failed Initiative
First introduced in 2020, Privacy Sandbox aimed to eliminate third-party cookies by default—similar to browsers like Firefox and Safari. However, the project faced backlash from privacy advocates, regulators, and industry critics. The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) warned users against it, while recent antitrust rulings in the U.S. and scrutiny from the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) further pressured Google.
Regulatory Pressure Forces Google’s Retreat
After years of delays, Google shifted its stance last year, stating that users should decide cookie preferences themselves. Now, the company confirms it won’t even display a separate prompt for managing third-party cookies. Chavez acknowledged that feedback from publishers, developers, and regulators revealed conflicting views on restricting cookie access.
Critics Declare Victory
The Movement for an Open Web (MOW), which filed a complaint against Privacy Sandbox in 2020, called Google’s announcement an “admission of defeat.” Co-founder James Rosewell told The Verge that Google’s goal was to control digital ad traffic by replacing open standards with proprietary systems. However, regulatory hurdles proved insurmountable, forcing Google to abandon its monopolistic ambitions.
This reversal marks a major setback for Google’s privacy reforms while preserving the status quo in digital advertising tracking.
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