Going… going… not gone! In a surprise turnaround, on 22 July Google announced that it would not be deprecating third-party cookies in its Chrome browser after all. For the moment, at least…
Google first announced plans to phase out third-party cookies as part of its Privacy Sandbox Initiative in 2019. Since then, the date has been gradually pushed further out, through 2022, 2023 and 2024, the latest target date being early 2025. Maybe we should have sensed that something was in the air… Even so, 22 July’s announcement was a shock for many.
Do We Still Need Third-Party Cookies?
It is already possible to block third-party cookies in Chrome and many users have. Other browsers including Apple’s Safari and Mozilla Firefox severely limit their functionality, so their importance is already in decline. And with Google’s deprecation plan in mind, many advertisers have been working hard to find alternatives. It follows that while some advertisers are annoyed by the sudden change in Google’s stance, others feel that the industry has already moved on from dependence on individual identifiers. A focus on first-party data collection is the way forward, say many.
Does The Jettisoned Third-Party Cookie Deprecation Mean Less Emphasis on User Privacy?
Now that third-party cookies are reprieved, what’s the plan? Google has announced an “updated approach” to enhance user privacy. They will “introduce a new experience in Chrome” allowing people to “make an informed choice that applies across their web browsing”. At this point there is no further explanation of what that will mean.
And What About The Privacy Sandbox Initiative?
Third-party cookie deprecation in Chrome may be discontinued, but the wider Privacy Sandbox Initiative is still in development. For now, at least. And Google says it will continue to work with regulators including the Competition and Markets Authority and Information Commissioner’s Office as it works towards its new approach.
In its 22 July announcement, Google states that it will continue to make the Privacy Sandbox APIs available to developers and to invest in them to further improve privacy. Also that it will introduce IP Protection into Chrome’s incognito mode.
What Does The Abandonment of Third-Party Cookie Deprecation Mean For Marketers?
Does this all mean that advertisers can now sit back and rely on third-party cookies for targeting ongoing? Of course not. The worm has turned once on their deprecation, and it might just change its mind and turn again. In any case, they are increasingly limited in their usefulness, with more and more restrictions placed on them and other major browsers rejecting them. While they are undoubtedly useful in certain areas such as geographical targeting, the mood among advertisers is shifting towards other methods of data gathering. At the same time, the noticeably greater prevalence of the “decline all” option in cookie notices over the last few years makes it easier (and therefore more likely) for users to head straight for that button. First-party data collection is still the way to go.
We will talk further about first-party data collection methods in upcoming posts.
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Sources:
https://privacysandbox.com/news/privacy-sandbox-update
https://econsultancy.com/google-third-party-cookie-u-turn-what-means-marketers-advertisers