It looks like tech giant Google is going to make a lot of advertisers happy with its recent decision to abort plans related to third-party cookies on Chrome.
The company has just opted to abandon the depreciation of cookies belonging to third-party advertisers on the web. This news is worrisome for obvious reasons as it’s a clear indicator of how the search engine giant is backtracking on its claims from 2020 which was when it signaled how much it takes user privacy seriously.
For those who might not be aware, third-party cookies enable targeted advertisers and any sort of support for this feature gives advertisers the power to carry out tracking of user practices online. This ensures they are identified uniquely at all times, and therefore allows data collection of all your online behavior.
This information, it just goes to show why privacy advocates have been calling for an end to the act for so long as it’s just an unlawful practice.
What’s interesting is how Google has been pushing back the decision for months and now, they’ve ended the debate but throwing the idea out altogether. The conclusion is that Chrome’s third-party cookies are not going anywhere.
The news was shared through the firm’s blog on Privacy Sandbox where the VP mentioned how they hope to come up with another modern solution to this problem that gives users more choice. They hope to provide users with options that give them the power to make informed choices that apply throughout the web while they are browsing online. They can alter the choice at any given moment in time.
Many experts knew from day one that the decision of Google to get rid of third-party cookies on Chrome forever was questionable. The firm never wished to get rid of online advertising because if that was the case, it would be bidding farewell to billions.
The company seemed to be searching for some kind of common ground that would preserve users’ privacy but at the same time, give advertisers the necessary tools to attain their targeting efforts.
Google has been experimenting with a wide range of choices to try and facilitate both itself, users, and advertisers. Some have worked temporarily but most were scrapped out after an experimental trial.
Now the question on many people’s minds is what is next for Google? Their cover-up of this major disaster with ‘informed choice’ is alarming and might mean that some specific stakeholders get a share of user data while others would be barred.
Right now, users do have the ability to switch third-party cookie tracking off and it’s not something that is set by the system as a default.
The news comes at a time when we see Google facing a great level of scrutiny from regulators around the globe. One specific discussion has to do with the UK’s CMA where Google would be forced to carry out consultations with the CMA before it can move ahead with its dream vision. Now the part that we’re interested in is if this new scheme is good enough to make regulators happy because they’re tough cookies.
Only time can tell and for now, we’ll keep you updated on what happens next because this is a major slap in the face for those advocating for online privacy since day one.
Image: DIW-Aigen
Read next: A New Study Shows that Many Websites are Restricting their Data Which is Used for AI Training
The company has just opted to abandon the depreciation of cookies belonging to third-party advertisers on the web. This news is worrisome for obvious reasons as it’s a clear indicator of how the search engine giant is backtracking on its claims from 2020 which was when it signaled how much it takes user privacy seriously.
For those who might not be aware, third-party cookies enable targeted advertisers and any sort of support for this feature gives advertisers the power to carry out tracking of user practices online. This ensures they are identified uniquely at all times, and therefore allows data collection of all your online behavior.
This information, it just goes to show why privacy advocates have been calling for an end to the act for so long as it’s just an unlawful practice.
What’s interesting is how Google has been pushing back the decision for months and now, they’ve ended the debate but throwing the idea out altogether. The conclusion is that Chrome’s third-party cookies are not going anywhere.
The news was shared through the firm’s blog on Privacy Sandbox where the VP mentioned how they hope to come up with another modern solution to this problem that gives users more choice. They hope to provide users with options that give them the power to make informed choices that apply throughout the web while they are browsing online. They can alter the choice at any given moment in time.
Many experts knew from day one that the decision of Google to get rid of third-party cookies on Chrome forever was questionable. The firm never wished to get rid of online advertising because if that was the case, it would be bidding farewell to billions.
The company seemed to be searching for some kind of common ground that would preserve users’ privacy but at the same time, give advertisers the necessary tools to attain their targeting efforts.
Google has been experimenting with a wide range of choices to try and facilitate both itself, users, and advertisers. Some have worked temporarily but most were scrapped out after an experimental trial.
Now the question on many people’s minds is what is next for Google? Their cover-up of this major disaster with ‘informed choice’ is alarming and might mean that some specific stakeholders get a share of user data while others would be barred.
Right now, users do have the ability to switch third-party cookie tracking off and it’s not something that is set by the system as a default.
The news comes at a time when we see Google facing a great level of scrutiny from regulators around the globe. One specific discussion has to do with the UK’s CMA where Google would be forced to carry out consultations with the CMA before it can move ahead with its dream vision. Now the part that we’re interested in is if this new scheme is good enough to make regulators happy because they’re tough cookies.
Only time can tell and for now, we’ll keep you updated on what happens next because this is a major slap in the face for those advocating for online privacy since day one.
Read next: A New Study Shows that Many Websites are Restricting their Data Which is Used for AI Training
