Ban on Third-Party Cookies Not Until 2024 – Google |   01 Aug, 2022

Google dragging its feet for the phase-out of third-party cookies is making headlines around the world. The decision of the ban which was earlier scheduled for 2022, but later pushed to 2023, is not happening anytime until the second half of 2024.

But, what is the cause for this continuous postponement by the Alphabet Inc. unit?

Google has been working with publishers, marketers, and regulators on the Privacy Sandbox API testing program to replace third-party cookies within two years, in early 2020. However, due to the requirement for more time to test and assess the Privacy Sandbox technologies, it is unlikely to happen anytime soon.

“The most consistent feedback we’ve got is that additional time is needed to study and test the new Privacy Sandbox technologies before deprecating third-party cookies in Chrome,” said Anthony Chavez, a vice president at Google, in the article. “In the second half of 2024, we plan to begin phasing away third-party cookies in Chrome.”

Why Should Brands Take this News Seriously?

Some of the brands might take this news as a temporary relief and kill time, instead of finding alternative solutions to third-party cookies. However, it is advised to not get too comfortable with the situation and continue to lean on the outdated system built on identifiers.

The reason for this is as we move into the next phase of online advertising, privacy is not something users will compromise. Their demand for privacy and transparency into how their data is being collected and used has increased even more. 

Consumers don’t care if Google delays third-party cookie removal. They are holding brands responsible for protecting their data and privacy. Advertisers that are already putting in the effort to enhance their tactics will be the ones who succeed.

Thus, it is an alarming signal for the ad tech and mar tech industries to start upholding a privacy-first infrastructure today, and not two years from now.

Does Any Suitable Alternative Exist to Third-Party Cookies?

Brands should not waste the golden opportunity of not exploring privacy-safe targeting solutions, like hyper contextual targeting. Silverpush’s advanced contextual advertising solutions are available across the internet – Premium Publishers, Social, Apps, OTTs, and Video across the categories. It can reignite creativity and regain consumer trust with a more personalized ad experience while targeting relevant audiences without requiring their personal data.

The human-augmented AI technology takes a unified approach for contextual level targeting throughout the internet assuring content-aligned ad placement, brand safety, and custom brand suitability, that is unique for each brand. It makes sure there is non-duplicity in reach, by making sure that the same user is not targeted twice on different platforms.