Google to Phase Out Use of Third-Party ‘Cookies’ in Ad-Tracking
Google is planning to “render obsolete” third part cookies, a tool advertisers use to track people around the web.
Over the next two years the Alphabet Inc. unit intends to stop supporting third-party cookies in its Chrome browser, Google said in a blog post Tuesday. Cookies are little bits of code that stick in peoples’ browsers and follow them around the web. They allow advertisers to target people with ads for websites they previously visited.
Apple’s Safari and Mozilla’s Firefox browsers already block third-party cookies, but Google has argued in the past those approaches are too heavy-handed and risk cutting into vital revenue for internet publishers.
Chrome Engineering Director Justin Schuh said blocking third-party cookies could have “unintended consequences that can negatively impact both users and the web ecosystem.” The company is seeking input from advertisers, publishers and Chrome users as it works to find ways to help support advertising online while still preserving privacy.
“Users are demanding greater privacy -- including transparency, choice and control over how their data is used -- and it’s clear the web ecosystem needs to evolve to meet these increasing demands,” Schuh said.
The vast majority of Google’s revenue comes from digital ads.