The saga goes on: Google tracking cookies die hard

Google tracking cookies will remain in place at least until 2023. The company has delayed its plan to block third-party cookies from Chrome. These are small bits of code that websites can set on a user’s computer. They work like browser “cookies” and allow websites to have certain permissions over the user’s device. Thus, they can track users’ internet activity and serve targeted advertising.

Google tracking survives

Still, Google is considering adding an opt-out feature to Chrome, but it may take some time before it rolls out the new feature. This happens while Microsoft, Apple and Mozilla block them.

Meanwhile, critics argue that the giant forces ad sellers to head to it, in order to get this information. And this means that Google makes sure it has an unfair advantage.

But the giant announced its plans to replace the Google tracking cookies with a new system . The company claims that this would ensure better privacy. Still, it would also allow marketing actions.

Nevertheless, the new system raised concerns. And the UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) started an investigation.

Just a new postponement

The company announced the new system more than one and a half years ago. At that moment, Google mentioned the new system have become active in 2022. But now, it put it back until 2023.

According to a blog post of Vinat Goel, privacy engineering director for Chrome, ”time is needed across the ecosystem”. At this moment, Chrome has a 65% market share.

Still, the industry considered this good news. Farhad Divecha, founder of AccuraCast Agency, say they “hope that Google uses this time to consult with the CMA”. Also, he mentioned that agencies, advertisers and publishers should have the right to express their opinion about this.

The new system would collect information about browsing habits and then assign users to different groups. Then, it would show them ads according to their group interests.

Google’s new privacy proposals are known as the Privacy Sandbox.

One of its ideas is the introduction of The Federated Learning of Cohorts, or “Floc”. But this has also been criticized by the industry.

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