Google will begin testing blocking website access to third-party cookies by default in Chrome on January 4, targeting the 1% of users who use Chrome on PCs and “Android” smartphones, says Anthony Chavez, chief of Google’s “Privacy Sandbox” project, on the company’s blog.
Google plans to subsequently extend the blocking of third-party cookies to all Chrome users by the end of 2024. Note, however, that this schedule has been postponed many times in recent years.
Although this test will only affect a small percentage of users at first, it is an important change for the web.
A risk for Google’s business model
Cookies are small text files that websites store on smartphones and computers and have been used since the very beginning of the web to track the browsing habits of Internet users.
Despite efforts to protect privacy, it has been difficult to remove them.
According to the analysis firm StatCounter, Chrome has the largest browser market share in the world, with 63% PDM.
Major competing browsers, such as Apple’s Safari and Mozilla’s Firefox and Brave, began blocking cookies several years ago; but Google acts more slowly.
The company is probably more worried than its competitors about undermining the online advertising industry with this measure.