Are online, third-party targeting cookies being phased out?

What are third-party cookies?

A third-party cookie is a cookie that is placed on a user's device by a website other than the one the user is currently visiting. These cookies are often used for tracking and advertising purposes by third-party advertisers or analytics providers.

Google started a phased elimination of third-party cookies in January 2024 and aims to completely eliminate third-party cookie tracking by the end of 2024.

What happened prior to January 2024?

In 2020, Apple blocked all third-party cookies on Safari and on Apple devices. Back then, this caused advertisement apps like Facebook to lose effectiveness and profitability through targeted ads. Google has been trying to follow Apple’s footsteps and has set a plan to phase out third-party cookies in 2024.

What does this mean for the future?

The industry will adjust but will be more focused on privacy, consent, and consumer protection. Customer expectations and experiences may improve. Please check out this article to learn more about Google’s plans and how this has huge implications to consumer data privacy.