Chrome Browser Phasing Out Third-Party Cookies But Privacy Risk Remains

Updated on July 23, 2024

What changes did Google announce?

At the time of our last update in May 2024, Google Chrome, the world’s most popular browser (with 65% market share and 3.45 billion users) was still committed to blocking third-party cookies to protect user data from cross-site tracking. It had already switched off cookies for 1% of its users and said it would gradually do the same for all of them by the end of 2024 or early 2025. It was set on replacing third-party cookies with a homegrown feature called Tracking Protection, which was part of its controversial Privacy Sandbox initiative. The aim was to protect user privacy by limiting third-party cross-site tracking while still giving marketers access to the user data they need to deliver personalized targeted advertising.

Since then, however, Google has abandoned those plans, so it looks like third-party cookies in Chrome are here to stay. Despite this abrupt reversal, website owners will still need to manage the privacy risks that would’ve remained had they rolled out the change. In this article, we explore what they are.

What are third-party cookies?

Third-party cookies are small pieces of data placed on a user’s device (they’re typically stored in the browser) by a website other than the one the user is currently visiting. For example, if your website hosts ads on behalf of an ad network such as Google Adsense, then when a visitor opens your site in their browser, it’s Adsense that will place its cookie in the user’s browser’s storage, use it to track their browsing behavior around the web, build up a profile of them and use it to serve them relevant ads whenever they visit another site hosting Adsense ads.

What are first-party cookies?

First-party cookies are generated by the website that the visitor is currently visiting. So, when they visit your website, your first-party cookies keep track of things like their login status, shopping cart contents, and user preferences, as well as analytics.

What would the changes have meant for advertisers?

Without third-party cookies to report on visitors’ movements, third-party advertisers would have found it harder to follow website visitors as closely as before. Identifying website visitors’ browsing behaviors and serving them highly personalized ads would’ve been trickier. But some critics of the Sandbox initiative have pointed out that advertisers may have been able to piece together a picture of users’ browsing behaviors using first-party cookies anyway.

What would the changes have meant for website owners?

Even if third-party cookies had been limited in the Chrome browser, website owners would’ve still faced privacy concerns. Other third-party tracking technologies like the Meta and TikTok pixels, when implemented by website owners, can still track users on their websites without explicit consent. The risks of improper configuration and human error with these pixels remain and they can lead to unauthorized data collection, resulting in privacy violations and hefty fines. Website owners should be vigilant about these risks and ensure that pixels are implemented and data is handled according to best practices and relevant regulations to avoid potential financial penalties and reputational damage.

How Reflectiz Can Help

Reflectiz offers a powerful security solution that helps reduce the risks of using online tracking technologies. With real-time monitoring and analysis of all website components, this user-friendly platform gives website owners clear oversight of what’s being collected, where it’s being sent, and how it’s being used. Reflectiz features advanced monitoring technology that detects and identifies the potential security vulnerabilities and privacy threats posed by online tracking technologies, including unauthorized tracking and data leakage. Reflectiz also gives you the actionable recommendations and controls you need to comply with data privacy legislation, and that help you to avoid expensive and reputationally damaging breaches.

Conclusion

Advertisers will no doubt be cheering about the decision to keep using third-party cookies in Chrome, but website owners will need to remain vigilant in the face of the privacy concerns associated with these and other tracking technologies. It still falls to web threat management solutions like Reflectiz to provide the comprehensive visibility, privacy protection tools, and ultimately the peace of mind that website owners need.