According to The Verge , Google has begun rolling out a major plan to block third-party cookies on the Chrome browser, which are used by many websites to track user activity.
Accordingly, since January 4, the search giant has started testing the Tracking Protection feature on about 1% of Chrome's 3 billion users. After that, Google plans to gradually eliminate the use of third-party cookies for all users in the second half of 2024.
Users randomly selected to try Tracking Protection will receive a notification from Google when they open Chrome on desktop or Android. If the new feature encounters problems while browsing, the browser will display a prompt asking if the user wants to temporarily re-enable third-party cookies to continue using the site.
Notice of testing Tracking Protection feature on Chrome
Since 2020, Google has been quietly building Privacy Sandbox, an alternative to cookies that would provide advertisers with anonymized browsing data from users. They would use APIs provided by Google to do the work of deploying ads, promising better privacy protection. Two key components of Privacy Sandbox, Topics API and Tracking Protection, are currently in testing, giving hope to privacy-conscious users and advertisers alike.
Compared to other browsers that have taken a more aggressive stance, such as blocking cross-site tracking altogether, Google’s approach seems more friendly to both sides. However, Google’s competitors and privacy advocates are not entirely convinced by this cookie-replacing technology.
Regulators such as the UK Competition and Markets Commission (CMA) are also keeping a close eye on Tracking Protection. The biggest concern is that Google will use this advantage to squeeze out its competitors in the advertising market. The company has said it is willing to delay the global rollout of Tracking Protection until the second half of 2024 if it needs more time to address competition concerns.
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