Google has made an unusual announcement on Tuesday that it will not show a separate pop-up asking users about third-party cookies in its chrome browser anymore. Instead, users can still decide what they want to do with cookies by going to the privacy and security settings in Chrome. This is part of Google’s privacy sandbox project, which is focused on improving online privacy.
Back in July 2024, Google said it changed its mind about completely removing third-party tracking cookies. Instead, it wants to give users better control over whether to allow them or not. Google stated that feedback from publishers, developers, regulators, and the ad industry made clear that there are varied perspectives on removing third-party cookies.
So now, the tech behemoth said it will focus on enhancing tracking protection in Chrome’s incognito mode since it already blocks third-party cookies by default. It also plans to add a new feature called IP protection in late 2025 to help hide users’ privacy even more.
A new open-source IP protection feature has been introduced to help keep users’ real IP addresses hidden from third-party websites while they’re browsing in incognito mode. This helps reduce the chances of being tracked across multiple sites.
Google’s Anthony Chavez said that, because of this change, the privacy sandbox APIs might be used differently in supporting the ecosystem. Google intends to collaborate with others in the tech industry, gather input, and provide an updated plan for the development of these technologies.
Unlike Apple Safari and Mozilla Firefox, which have blocked third-party cookies by default since 2020, google has had a harder time doing the same because it not only runs a browser but also makes money from ads and runs a major search engine.
The news also comes at a time when Google is facing instance regulatory scrutiny from U.S. government officials. Two recent courts accused Google of maintaining a monopoly in the search and advertisement markets.
In fact, the last month, the U.S. Department of Justice indicated that Google’s strong hold over the tech market could lead to the company being broken up. One of the proposals is that Google could be required to either sell its Chrome browser or share its search results with other companies to encourage more fair competition in the market.
Meanwhile, the AI company OpenAI said it might want to buy Chrome if Google is forced to sell it. OpenAI says it would build a new kind of browser powered by AI.
