Google To Replace Third-Party Cookies With Privacy Sandbox Technologies

(RTTNews) - Alphabet Inc.'s (GOOG) Google Thursday announced its plan to turn off third party cookies for nearly 30 million Chrome users and to replace it with alternative Privacy Sandbox technology which would still allow advertising but without invading user's privacy.

Cookies act as tracking devices to understand the user's preferences while browsing and then show personalised ads and products based on that. However, cookies could access user's personal details and could also slow down the browser.

In order to put an end on third party cookies for all users by the end of 2024, the tech giant has introduced a new feature Tracking Protection, which will cut off the site's access to third party cookies.

Tracking Protection will be enabled for the selected users across Windows, Mac, Linux, Android and iOS from Thursday.

The company has also introduced a new option "Browsing with more privacy" for the selected users. If the site fails to function under the new feature, Google will automatically revert to third party cookies.

Since advertising is one of the main sources of income for Google, it has incorporated a new feature called Ad Topics under Tracking Protection. Ad Topics will act on the basis of browsing data for a particular period of time and will show relevant ads based on the user's interests.

However, advertisers, publishers and other industry players have raised concerns over the new Privacy Sandbox feature and that the move is a part of Google's plan to dominate online advertising market.