Google is ready to ease off third-party cookies in Chrome

Google is taking measures to phase out third-party cookies in Chrome by the second half of 2024. The search giant rolled out the tracking protection to 1% of the browser’s users, to take part of a privacy sandbox initiative to stamp out all third-party cookies.

Tracking Protection limits cross-site tracking by limiting website reach to third-party cookies. Google first revealed plans to phase out third-party cookies in 2021. Not long after, the European Union began a look into Google’s advertising practices.

Competitors have also moved to block third-party cookies. Mozilla on Firefox in 2019 and Apple on Safari in 2020. Google first disclosed Tracking Protection in December.

Google hopes to respond to users’ and regulators’ privacy concerns by eliminating third-party cookies and implementing tracking protections, retaining advertising revenue and avoiding regulatory action from the Markets Authority.

Digital commerce and generative AI

Someone says Google’s strategy to phase out third-party cookies in Chrome is inadequate. It doesn’t account for advances in marketing technology like generative AI. “ Google’s efforts are not forward-looking enough,” said IDC analyst Jerry Murray.

“Google is moving to adhere with regulatory requirements while maintaining ad revenue and not addressing the impact of generative AI agents on consumers. Decline of cross-domain tracking and the duplication of customer databases”, Murray said.

And he added, “Generative AI agents will enable consumers to assist in digital markets. Based on programmatic intent”.

Google’s biggest challenge is how to industrially sustain and replace its digital ad revenue. GenAI agents are a huge disruptive threat which will make another leading player a dominant force in the next digital economy.

The stability between sellers and consumers to the stock market. Both sides of the market are “very capable of controlling the terms of their market.” Murray said future revenue will be based on commissions rather than impressions. “There are huge implications for everyone in the digital economy,” he said.

The stability between sellers and consumers to the stock market. Both sides of the market are “very capable of controlling the terms of their market.” Murray said future revenue will be based on commissions rather than impressions. “There are huge implications for everyone in the digital economy,” he said.

Google’s planned elimination of third-party cookies has spurred a consumer data platform. And looking to make better use of the first-party data, said David Raab, founder of the CDP Institute. He estimates that half of organizations buy digital ads are not yet ready for a post-cookie world.

Some innovative applications of CDPs to power outbound advertising says David research. The identities of people who view ads on Facebook and Google aren’t revealed. CDPs can adapt specific audience behaviours. And limit ad spending to specific market segments, giving users greater control.

Google has been planning to move away from third-party cookies for years. But backing away due to threats from regulators. And he predicted Google Chrome testing showed the vendor is ready to implement its plan later this year.