Google Chrome: Third-party cookie blocking postphoned to Q3 2024

[German]Google has just pushed back its plan to block third-party cookies in its Chrome browser to Q3 2024. Actually, this step was supposed to be completed in 2022, but was then postponed to 2023 and will now only be implemented in 2024 at the earliest – if at all. Google justifies this with further tests of the sandbox, which are necessary.

Google's user tracking protection plan

Already in 2019, Google introduced plans to improve the tracking protection of users of the Chrome browser. Then there was the FLOC approach, where Google planned, to make the use of advertising cookies GDPR compliant with its own technology. However, the FLoC approach received powerful headwinds from data protectionists and was buried. Since that time, Google has been trying to find a way to block third-party cookies in its Chrome browser without cutting itself off from the advertising business.

To that end, Google has launched a privacy sandbox initiative (Privacy Sandbox). The goal is to replace third-party cookies, as well as cross-page tracking, finger-printing and other covert techniques, with privacy-friendly alternatives. Google is developing the technologies in question and recently released test versions in Chrome for developers.

The project is delayed

Now Google has published the blog post Expanding Privacy Sandbox testing, which includes the updated timeline for rolling out the new Privacy Sandbox, which can be viewed on this page. Starting in Q3 2023, the Privacy Sandbox is expected to be made available in the Chrome browser. 

Google Privacy Sandbox timeline

The green area in the screenshot above covers a phase of 12 months, where this technology is to be used slowly. Third-party cokies are then expected to disappear starting in Q3 2024. The blog post Expanding Privacy Sandbox testing states that they want to start initial tests in the desktop browser with the release of Chrome 104 in August 2022. For Android, the whole thing is to start with tests from Chrome 105. In October 2022, an expanded test will come with Chrome 107. In the blog post, Google describes the individual steps, which are probably of interest to developers in particular, in detail.

9to5google.com picked up on the topic in this article. Their bottom line is: originally, Google wanted to eliminate third-party cookies in its browser by 2022, but that was later postponed to 2023. The deadline for eliminating cookies in Chrome is now being pushed back to 2024.  The background is likely "consistent feedback" from partners, which prompted Google to revise its plans. It remains to be seen how the tests will turn out – so further changes and postponements are not out of the question.