Google rejected the plan to block cookies on the browser

Google rejected the plan to block cookies on the browser

In a surprise move, Google has abandoned a plan it first announced four years ago to block third-party cookies from its Chrome web browser.

Britain’s Data Protection Authority said it was “disappointed” by the decision. Cookies are small files stored on your computer that allow advertisers to track Internet activity and target advertising.

Google says it will instead pursue a new approach that will give users “an informed choice applied to their web browsing” and is discussing next steps with regulators.

This indicates that the company does not abandon its alternative approach to advertisingbut will allow a system based on third-party cookies to work in parallel, it says BBC.

This ultimately means that people will still see a pop-up asking them to turn cookies on or off in the future.

“We believe 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 consider this new course of action when more details are available,” said Steven Bonner from the Information Commissioner’s Office.

Privacy sandbox

Third-party cookies, small files stored on your computer by companies other than the website you’re visiting, have historically been an essential part of how digital advertising works.

They allow advertisers to track user behavior on websites, as well as to profile consumers according to their interests.

Google is a major player in online advertisingso its plan to replace cookies – dubbed the “Privacy Sandbox” – has proved controversial, with rivals and online advertising companies pushing back against the proposals.

Britain’s competition watchdog, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), intervened in 2021, fearing the giant’s plans could lead to even more advertisers using Google’s systems.

Access to privacy

During 2022, the agency managed to get promises from Google that should have calmed those fears. Now he’s looking for a reaction to the tech giant’s change of plan.

“We will need to carefully consider Google’s new Privacy Sandbox approach, working closely with the ICO in this regard and welcome views on Google’s revised approach, including the potential implications for consumers and market outcomes,” it said.

Jeff Green, head of advertising platform The Trade Desk, welcomed the move.

“I’ve been telling our industry, Google and even Wall Street for years that I think it’s a strategic mistake for Google to get rid of third-party cookies. “It seems that the giant is finally admitting that the best option for them is to give consumers a choice,” he said.

Source: BIZLife

Photo: Freepik