Deadline extension until 2024: Google's third party cookies

Es gibt tatsächlich eine weitere Fristverlängerung bis 2024 für Googles Third Party Cookies: Die Spekulationen rund um Google Cookie Tracking und Privacy Sandbox Technologie reißen nicht ab. Cookies stehen bei Datenschützern schon länger in der Kritik, insbesondere sogenannte Third-Party-Cookies, die von Werbetreibenden bislang im Rahmen von Online Marketing Maßnahmen über Drittanbieter genutzt werden können, um das Nutzerverhalten der Kunden nachzuvollziehen und Nutzerprofile anzulegen. Immer wieder werden wir in unserer Agentur für Online Marketing Munich gefragt, wann ein mögliches Aus für Online Marketing Strategien rund um Google Third-Party-Cookies kommt. Eindeutig ist zunächst, dass es einen erneuten Aufschub gab. Hier die wichtigsten Fakten dazu.

What are third-party cookies and what is their purpose?

Tracking with third-party cookies are cookies (small text files that the Internet browser stores on the computer) that are not generated by the advertiser itself, but by third parties via targeting pixels, advertisements or similar. This allows relevant information to be collected in online marketing, for example on age, origin, gender and data on user behavior, in order to use this for personal online marketing measures.

A third-party cookie therefore records the course of pages on a website. Often, however, the cookie used only acquires the most valuable data when it is recognized on another website. This makes it possible to target personal advertising based on the user's consumption behavior and user profile.

This form of advertising is still popular with companies, but is also under fire time and again due to data protection issues.

What are Google's plans for cookie tracking?

Ursprünglich plante Google bereits seit einem längeren Zeitraum Cookies nach und nach zu reduzieren, um die Zielgruppe der Werbekunden nicht zu vergraulen. Aus diesem Grund wurde von einem Ende der Third Party Cookies in 2022 gesprochen. Wir hatten in diesem Blogbeitrag bereits darüber berichtet: Cookie Tracking und E-Privacy – aktueller Stand und Ausblick 2022

In terms of privacy and competition on the Internet, Google had placed all action steps themselves under regulatory oversight by the UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) and the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO). These were to approve the further development around the Privacy Sandbox API. However, delays have already occurred in the past due to the self-imposed control mechanisms.

What is the reasoning behind the deadline extension to 2024?

Ursprünglich sollte das Tracking durch Cookies von Drittanbietern bei Chrome bis Anfang 2020 beendet werden. Aktuell erklärt Google, dass die Verbannung von Drittanbieter Cookies zunächst erneut auf Ende 2024 verschoben wurde. Dadurch erfolgt in den kommenden mindestens 2 Jahren kein Ersatz des aktuellen Trackings durch die Googles Privacy Sandbox.

The corporation explains that this decision has to do with the Privacy Sandbox technology, which is supposed to replace the technologies used so far with privacy-compliant ones. However, the FLoC system, which had already been developed, was torn apart by data protectionists and was not even used in the European region.

Google also says it needs significantly more time to develop and test subsequent technologies. For this reason, the launch of the Privacy Sandbox API is not expected until the third quarter of 2023 and the complete abolition of third-party cookies in the second half of 2024.

Conclusion: Maintain balance between privacy and options around online marketing strategies!

According to its own publications, Google is currently working intensively on testing a new series of Privacy Sandbox APIs with the aim of protecting the privacy of users and harmonizing it with online marketing measures.

However, it remains to be seen whether this project will succeed in the newly set time frame until the end of 2024.

In addition to the use of cookie tracking previously used, companies should keep an eye on new developments and keep up with the times in your online marketing. We will be happy to support you in this and work out individual strategies with you. Let us advise you on online marketing!