Connatix's Jenn Chen comments on Google’s latest announcement to halt the deprecation of third-party cookies in Chrome.This announcement has sent shockwaves through the ad tech industry. Instead of phasing out cookies, Google plans to introduce a new user choice mechanism.
This week, Google threw the ad tech industry for a loop by announcing a significant shift in its privacy strategy. Contrary to its long-standing plan to eliminate third-party cookies from its Chrome browser, Google has revealed it will offer users the option to opt out of third-party cookies through a new choice mechanism. This unexpected pivot has sparked a flurry of reactions from publishers, advertisers, and industry stakeholders, many of whom have spent the past few years preparing for a cookieless future.
In a blog post by Anthony Chavez, VP of Privacy Sandbox, Google outlined its revised approach, emphasizing user choice and engagement with industry feedback. This move comes after four years of extensive testing and regulatory discussions, during which Google faced substantial pushback from industry players and regulators like the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA).
The original plan to phase out cookies had been postponed multiple times, with the latest delay pushing the deadline to 2025. Now, Google’s new path aims to balance privacy with the practical needs of the advertising ecosystem.
“Consumers are the beating heart of our industry, and I support Google’s decision to elevate consumer choice when it comes to cookies. Google is toeing the line between clients and customers, and they have already made improvements to Privacy Sandbox after many months of work. However, it benefits everyone if they have more time to perfect better identity-protecting strategies without harming Q4 revenues.
Regardless of Google’s decision, privacy regulations are ever-evolving and our industry should remain committed to enabling advertisers and publishers to succeed with privacy-first strategies. Apple has blocked cookies by default from Apple for years, and now that Google is following suit, advertisers should be prepared to meet their audiences where they are. Many consumers will likely choose to opt out of third-party cookies, and protecting the user journey will be key.
Google’s news today sets the tone for a privacy-centric future driven by the consumer, and the industry should continue to work together to leverage alternative IDs and other more privacy-focused solutions like contextual alongside existing signals (e.g., audience, performance). Publishers and advertisers must continue to navigate these transitions and build a strong, privacy-friendly data culture built on collaboration, trust, and a test-and-learn mentality, that keeps the consumer top of mind.” – Jenn Chen, President and CRO of Connatix