If you've ever wondered how websites seem to know what you’re looking for like showing you ads for something you just searched, that's thanks to third-party cookies. These little trackers follow your activity across websites and help advertisers target you with relevant ads.
A few years ago, Google said it wanted to get rid of them in its Chrome browser, all in the name of privacy. But now, that plan is officially off.
So, what changed?
Let’s rewind a bit. In 2020, Google launched something called the Privacy Sandbox. The idea was to find a new way to show ads without tracking individual users so closely. Instead of cookies, they introduced tools like the Topics API, which grouped users into broad interest categories based on their web activity.
It sounded like a step toward more privacy, but it didn’t convince everyone.
Privacy advocates, including the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), weren’t impressed. They said Google was still tracking users — just in a slightly different way. Advertisers were also unsure if the new tools would work as well, and smaller companies worried Google might gain even more control over online ads.
On top of that, legal trouble started piling up. A U.S. judge recently said Google had been using unfair practices in the ad business. And in the UK, regulators are still investigating whether Google’s privacy plans could actually give it an unfair advantage.
What now?
Instead of removing cookies for everyone, Google says it’ll let users decide. So, third-party cookies will stay in Chrome — unless you choose to block them.
In short, Google’s big plan for a “cookie-less” future has come to an end. For now, it’s back to user choice — and cookies are still on the menu.
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