Google suspended the Privacy Sandbox initiative, which he launched in 2020 and presented as a major change in the field of web privacy. This plan, which aims to remove third -party cookies in the Chrome browser, was on the shelf with the last statement of the company. According to Google’s Anthony Chavez, users’ cookie preferences will continue in its current form. So, the Chrome browser will not offer a new structure that blocks third -party cookies.
This decision is not independent of the reservations of different stakeholders in the sector for a long time. Publishers, advertising companies and regulatory institutions have repeatedly expressed that this change can have serious consequences. When it became clear that everyone did not look at this issue from the same angle, it became inevitable to shelve the plan for Google. The company’s explanations also confirm these differences of opinion.
Google had to step back with pressures from different stakeholders
There were many criticisms that the developed system did not adequately protect the user privacy and even served Google’s monopoly. The Electronic Border Foundation (EFF) stated that the Privacy Sandbox system is still watching users and is still less transparent. In addition, the United Kingdom Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has also undergone the process since 2020. In the United States, a judge recently found that Google has acted against competition in advertising technologies.
Initially developed in response to privacy -oriented steps taken by browsers such as Safari and Firefox, Privacy Sandbox expanded its scope over time. With components such as Topics API, it was aimed to demonstrate advertising according to the interests of users. However, it was suggested that these systems were not transparent and user -friendly enough. Google rejects these claims, but the uncertainties in the application shook the confidence in the project.
The implementation of the project was postponed over time, the details were constantly updated, but there was a great uncertainty on the user side. Google announced last year that the transition to Chrome without cookies will leave the user’s preference. Now, this plan is completely stopped, a new cookie management structure will not be applied. Chavez made it clear that a new confirmation screen will not be presented.
The organization “Movement for an Open Web değişim evaluated this decision as an open signal showing that the project has ended. James Rosewell, the founding partner of the institution, claimed that Google aims to eliminate open standards in the advertising world with this project. According to Rosewell, regulatory pressures have become so intense that the company could not maintain these plans. Therefore, the project seems to have ended, although not an official cancellation.
Although Google does not officially canceled the project, this decision is read as a back step in the sector. A company that holds most of the advertising revenues had to offer a much clearer and acceptable structure in order to maintain such a change. The fact that the company fails to consider this structure makes it easier to understand why the decision was canceled. A large -scale change, such as the removal of third -party cookies, is not only possible with technology, but also by social and legal reconciliation.