Google Announces Major Changes to Cookie Tracking in Chrome

Google has announced that starting from January 4, 2024, it will block third-party cookies by default in Chrome for 1% of users, following in the footsteps of rival browsers such as Mozilla Firefox and Apple Safari. The move aims to address the long-standing privacy concerns associated with third-party cookies, which enable ad tracking and data compilation. Google's Privacy Sandbox project, designed to find an alternative to third-party cookies, has faced opposition from ad tech rivals. The UK's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has set commitments to ensure Google implements its Privacy Sandbox transition fairly. The company plans to roll out Tracking Protection, a feature that limits cross-site tracking, to a wider audience in the second half of 2024, subject to addressing any remaining competition concerns from the CMA.