Google Backpedals on Third-Party Cookie Phaseout Amid Antitrust Pressure

Google scales back its Privacy Sandbox initiative, citing industry resistance and regulatory heat as it once more delays ending third-party cookies.

After years of pledging to phase out third-party cookies in its popular Chrome web browser in one of its most ambitious privacy initiatives, Google is hitting the brakes.

The tech giant yesterday announced it would not implement a standalone prompt that could help users deny third-party cookie tracking.

The consensus regarding what motivated the decision seems to point at regulatory pressure.

Google’s Vice President for the Privacy Sandbox initiative, Anthony Chavez, said that instead of prompting users with a standalone prompt for cookie consent, Chrome will allow them to manage cookie preferences within Chrome’s existing Privacy and Security settings.

“As we’ve engaged with the ecosystem, including publishers, developers, regulators, and the ads industry, it remains clear that there are divergent perspectives on making changes that could impact the availability of third-party cookies,” said Chavez. “Google will not be rolling out a new standalone prompt for third-party cookies.”

Regulatory pressure behind decision

Although no official confirmation has been released, many suspect that this change of heart could stem from increasing antitrust scrutiny.

A US court recently ruled that Google holds illegal monopolies across the online advertising stack, potentially undermining its plans to reshape the web’s tracking infrastructure.

Regulators have voiced concern that Google’s role as both platform owner and market participant gives it undue influence over digital advertising norms.

Privacy Sandbox was a popular initiative that garnered a lot of attention since its release in 2019. It showed promise as a tool to thwart invasive tracking while maintaining core functionalities advertisers rely on.

However, advertisers argue that shifting away from third-party cookies would render their targeting capabilities useless, while deepening their dependence on Google’s own advertising services.

Google still committed … for now

Despite its reversal on the cookie consent prompt, Google vows to maintain its commitment to gradually rolling out Privacy Sandbox APIs.

We'll continue to enhance tracking protections in Chrome's Incognito mode, which already blocks third-party cookies by default.

In its advisory, the company also named a few features it plans to release or improve, including IP protection, Safe Browsing, and Safety Check.

Turning to dedicated privacy software

While Google’s decision to delay and dilute key elements of its Privacy Sandbox rollout disappoints many, it is also a clear sign that users shouldn’t wait for tech giants to prioritize their privacy.

Users concerned about behavioral tracking and targeted advertising can turn to dedicated privacy tools like Bitdefender VPN for more immediate and effective privacy protection. Trustworthy VPNs can shield browsing activity from data brokers and ad networks regardless of which way the digital winds blow.