Are cookies going away in 2025?

As of July 2024, Google has officially abandoned its plans to phase out third-party cookies in its Chrome browser. This decision comes after multiple delays and growing regulatory scrutiny and scepticism within the ad tech industry.

Google’s cookie deprecation plan has faced multiple delays and changes since it was first announced in 2020. The initiative encountered technical challenges, and scrutiny from the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) and the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), and concerns from the advertising industry about viable alternatives.

Despite Google’s shift in plans, industry experts continue to advocate for a change toward first-party data strategies and privacy-focused marketing practices, with an emphasis on adapting to evolving privacy regulations and consumer expectations.