google e cookie di terze parti

Google Chrome says goodbye to Third Party Cookies: what now?

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In recent years, the issue of online user privacy has become central to the technological and regulatory debate.
In this context, Google’s decision(postponed over and over again) to eliminate support for third-party cookies on Chrome by 2024 represents a significant turning point.
This move will profoundly affect the way digital companies and advertisers operate online, prompting them to explore and adopt alternative solutions.

deprecation timeline e1723043259840

The Role of Third Party Cookies

Third-party cookies are critical tools for the online advertising industry.
These small data files, stored on users’ browsers from domains other than the one they are visiting, enable tracking of users’ online activities on different websites.
Using these cookies, advertisers can create detailed profiles of users and deliver highly personalized ads.
Many tools we are used to using make use of them: Google Analytics, Facebook Pixel, Linkedin Insight Tag and many others…
However, as privacy concerns have increased, the use of these cookies has come under increasing scrutiny.

Many other browsers have preceded Chrome in this race for compliance, after GDPR came into effect in Europe, so it is time (albeit late) to prepare for the big change.

Google’s decision to eliminate third-party cookies follows a broader trend in the browser industry.
Apple’s Safari and Mozilla’s Firefox have already implemented measures to limit the use of these cookies.
Google, through Chrome, intends to improve user privacy by reducing the amount of data shared without explicit consent.

gdpr

Privacy Sandbox: Google's response

To mitigate the impact of third-party cookie deprecation, Google has introduced the Privacy Sandbox. This set of technologies aims to provide effective alternatives for online advertising, tracking and user experience measurement while maintaining high privacy standards. The main components of the Privacy Sandbox include:
  • FLoC (Federated Learning of Cohorts): This technology groups users based on similar browsing behaviors, allowing advertisers to target groups rather than individuals. This approach aims to protect privacy by reducing the granularity of tracking.
  • TURTLEDOVE: This project proposes a model in which user data information remains on the user’s device, enabling interest-based advertising without the need to track individual users across multiple sites.
  • Conversion Measurement API: This API enables measurement of ad conversions in a privacy-friendly way, avoiding the use of cross-site identifiers.
first vs third party cookies

First-party cookies: a viable alternative

Another significant solution is the adoption of first-party cookies.
These cookies, created and managed directly by the website the user is visiting, are considered less intrusive than third-party cookies.
They allow sites to collect data on user interactions within their domain, improving user experience and personalizing content without compromising privacy.

Although their integration appears to be impractical at the moment, we recommend relying on tools that can facilitate the work such as Stape(take a read of their detailed blog).

Conclusions

The elimination of third-party cookies presents a challenge, but also anopportunity to innovate. Companies will need to adapt quickly, exploring new tracking and measurement techniques that respect users’ privacy. For example, the use of machine learning and artificial intelligence technologies can help predict users’ behaviors without the need to track them individually. In our opinion, it pays to learn more about the use of first-party cookies and prepare for a change in technology. The end of support for third-party cookies on Google Chrome marks the beginning of a new era for the web. Alternatives such as the Privacy Sandbox and first-party cookies offer opportunities to build a more secure and privacy-friendly online environment. The companies that can innovate and adapt to these new technologies will be the ones that thrive in this changing digital landscape.

We at f.technology have been closely following this issue for some time and are ready for change. Rely on us to find new solutions

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