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Google initiated a 1% restriction on Third-Party cookies starting January 4th, 2024. The search engine plans to extend this to all users by Q4 2024. Other browsers like Firefox and Safari already limit cookies. The time to act is now.
Review our countdown to a cookieless future timeline so your marketing campaigns are fully prepared for this new era.
Tracking cookies fueled digital media’s exponential growth over the past decade. This access to user data enabled numerous websites, social media networks, and online shopping services to become popular.
In May 2018, data privacy became a concern when the EU introduced the GDPR (Global Data Protection Regulation). This government regulation limits how user data can be used and sets requirements for consent around this data.
Following this, a similar law arose in the United States. California enacted the CCPA (California Consumer Privacy Act) in 2020. The CCPA provides consumers more control over how companies and brands use their private data.
Some browsers and companies like Safari (Apple) and Firefox have already limited cookies, while others like Google have been slower to respond.
Chrome aims to extend Third-Party cookie restrictions to all users by Q3 2024, pending the resolution of the UK Competition and Markets Authority‘s concerns.
What are the differences between GDPR and CCPA?
GDPR requires explicit consent to sell personal data, and the fines for non-compliance are higher. GDPR can fine up to 4% of a company’s global revenue, whereas CCPA charges $7,500 for each infraction.
Google’s Privacy Sandbox is a set of technologies designed to improve web privacy and help businesses offer services within stricter data protection rules.
The initiative seeks to replace Third-Party cookies—a common method used for tracking and personalization—with mechanisms that protect users’ privacy.
Google’s Privacy Sandbox timeline. 1% of Chrome users have Third-Party cookies disabled until Q3 2024 when Google plans to phase-out cookies for all users.
Although Google has delayed Third-Party cookie deprecation before, the Privacy Sandbox website states its clear intention to phase-out cookies in the second half of 2024.
Why haven’t more advertisers made the jump to test 3P free solutions?
“As advertisers, we’ve been blessed (and perhaps cursed) with endless taxonomies, metrics, and tracking options. With this wealth of data, there have been years of fine-tuning to attract and convert new customers and, maybe more importantly, defend market share. Given the pressure on CMOs for short-term return on investment, diverting funds from proven initiatives to test for the uncertain future is an increasingly difficult decision to stamp their name on. Especially knowing the average tenure of CMOs is just 40 months.”
The deprecation of Third-Party cookies aligns closely with regulations (US and beyond) and changes made for specific brands and browsers.
April 14, 2016: GDPR adopted
April 4, 2018: Facebook admits 87 million users impacted by Cambridge Analytica Scandal
April 10, 2018: Mark Zuckerberg appears in court
May 25, 2018: GDPR officially went into effect
June 28, 2018: CCPA signed into law
September 17, 2018: Apple releases the first version of Intelligent Tracking Prevention (ITP) with Safari 12
September 3, 2019: Firefox rolls out default 3P cookie ban
March 3, 2020: Google announces plan to phase-out Third-Party cookies
March 24, 2020: Apple ITP bans Third-Party cookies in Safari
June 24, 2021: Google delays Third-Party cookie depreciation by 1 year
July 27, 2022: Google delays Third-Party deprecation (Again) by 2 years
August 2023: Google plans to launch access to Privacy Sandbox
January 4, 2024: Google begins tests on its new Tracking Protection feature, affecting 1% of Chrome users
Q3 2024: Third-Party cookie phase-out in parts
Q4 2024: Google set to stop use of Third-Party cookies
Source(s):
Facebook says 87 million people’s data was taken in the Cambridge Analytica scandal — far more than previously thought, Insider
Google Delays The End Of Third-Party Cookies (Again), From 2023 To The End Of 2024, AdExchanger
The Privacy Sandbox Timeline for the Web, Privacy Sandbox
A Timeline of Apple’s Privacy Changes in Safari and iOS [infographic], Clearcode
What do brands miss by relying on Third-Party cookies?
“Relying solely on Third-Party targeting can mean missing entire audiences that would otherwise engage with your brand, and indicates a lack of readiness to evolve audience-centric targeting strategies. The tremendous advancements in programmatic advertising have downplayed the value of market research and audience strategy. Now, is the time for marketers to revisit these key concepts as the convenience of behavioral advertising shifts.”
The phase-out of Third-Party cookies marks a historic shift in data privacy in 2024. Brands must proactively adapt to this change, moving away from reliance on Third-Party data towards more privacy-centric strategies. Marketers can anticipate these shifts and change their targeting approach by staying informed about the cookieless future timeline.
Our expert team can help you prepare for the cookieless future with many cookieless options suited to your brand, including ID-free targeting, AI-powered contextual marketing, & more.
Kate Meda is a Copywriter at KORTX. She enjoys omitting needless words and making things sound good.
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