Google postpones the end of third-party cookies in Chrome to 2024

Google announcement another postponement of ending third-party cookies in Chrome is now scheduled for 2024. The original date was 2022, before a postponement to 2023. So that’s another year.

The Privacy Sandbox is Google’s initiative to replace third-party cookies (along with cross-site tracking IDs, browser fingerprinting, and other secret techniques) once privacy-friendly alternatives are in place. Since then, Google has been working on new technologies and more recently released trials in Chrome for developers to test.

“We worked closely to refine our design proposals based on feedback from developers, publishers, marketers and regulators via forums”says Google. “The most consistent feedback we’ve received is the need for more time to evaluate and test new (…) technologies before deprecating third-party cookies in Chrome.” Indeed, some advertisers are afraid of what will happen and are asking for more time.

We will therefore have to wait until the second half of 2024 to see the end of third-party cookies in Chrome… unless Google announces another postponement. In the meantime, the group says its trials with the Privacy Sandbox will expand to millions of users worldwide starting in August. As the months pass, the number of testers will increase.

Google plans to release the Privacy Sandbox APIs in Q3 2023 with a Chrome update.