In a surprise development on Monday, 22 July 2024, Google announced in a blog post that its five-year Privacy Sandbox project to phase out third-party tracking cookies from its Chrome web browser has ended. Anthony Chavez, Google's VP of Privacy Sandbox, indicated considerable work is still required amid ongoing concerns from regulators and increasing criticism from within the advertising industry. Instead, Google plans to introduce a prompt for Chrome users to choose how they want to be tracked across Google's search products. Google has not provided any further clarification as to when these changes might take effect.
Chaves wrote: "We are proposing an updated approach that elevates user choice. Instead of deprecating third-party cookies, we would introduce a new experience in Chrome that lets people make an informed choice that applies across their web browsing, and they'd be able to adjust that choice at any time. We're discussing this new path with regulators, and will engage with the industry as we roll this out."
In a statement responding to the news, Stephen Bonner, Deputy Commissioner at the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO), said: "We are disappointed that Google has changed its plans and no longer intends to deprecate third-party cookies from the Chrome Browser.
"From the start of Google's Sandbox project in 2019, it has been our view that blocking third-party cookies would be a positive step for consumers. The new plan set out by Google is a significant change and we will reflect on this new course of action when more detail is available."
In a separate statement, IAB Europe expressed that the lack of detailed information about Google's proposed user choice functionality makes it difficult to fully evaluate the impact this change in direction could have on the wider advertising ecosystem. However, IAB Europe highlighted key considerations for any alternative approach implemented in Chrome, particularly given that "browser-level user choices cannot enable the establishment of informed and specific consent" under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Furthermore, IAB Europe calls on Google to collaborate closely with industry standard-setting organisations and take industry feedback into account while refining Privacy Sandbox tools.
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