Google will disable cookies for MILLIONS of people on January 4. Here’s what this means for you

They are one of the most privacy-invading technologies on the Internet.

But from January 4, Google will start disabling third-party cookies – the intrusive computer files that track your behavior.

The tech giant randomly selects one percent of Chrome users around the world – about 30 million people – to be the first to use the ‘Tracking Protection’ feature.

It’s part of Google’s controversial Privacy Sandbox and will stop websites from using third-party cookies to track users as they browse the web to serve relevant ads.

Here’s what the change means for you – and whether you’ll need to do anything when it comes into effect.

From January 4, some Google Chrome users will see fewer cookies: small files that are downloaded to your computer or mobile device when you visit a website

What are third party cookies?

Cookies are small files that are downloaded to your computer or mobile device when you visit a website.

Your browser sends these cookies back to the website each time you visit the site so it can recognize you. This allows websites to tailor what you see on the screen.

First-party cookies are placed by the website you are currently visiting, but third-party cookies are placed by websites other than the one you are currently visiting.

First-party cookies are generally useful; For example, a first-party cookie allows an e-commerce website you visit to remember what was in your shopping cart last time.

But third-party cookies come from sites you haven’t even visited yet and are typically used to track your browsing activity across multiple websites for advertising purposes.

If you’re among the one percent randomly selected for Tracking Protection on January 4, you’ll see a notification in your desktop or browser Chrome browser.

It says, “You’ll be among the first to experience tracking protection, which restricts sites from using third-party cookies to track you as you browse.”

The change happens automatically, so as you browse the web, third-party cookies will be restricted by default, limiting their ability to track you across websites.

Anyone who, for whatever reason, wants third-party cookies to continue working in Chrome can re-enable them by clicking the eye icon in the search bar.

But even if you don’t get selected for the initial rollout, the days of third-party cookies in Chrome are numbered.

Google plans to completely phase out the use of third-party cookies when Tracking Protection becomes available to all users in the second half of 2024.

In a blog postGoogle described Tracking Protection as “an important milestone” in its acclaimed Privacy Sandbox initiative, which aims to “create technologies that protect people’s privacy online.”

“When it comes to improving privacy on the Internet, the work is never done,” the company said.

“That’s why we’re continuing to invest in features in Chrome that protect your data and give you more control over how it’s used.

‘This includes taking steps to limit the ability to track your activity across websites.

“On January 4, we will begin testing Tracking Protection, a new feature that limits cross-site tracking by restricting website access to third-party cookies by default.”

If you are among the randomly selected people, you will see a notification in the desktop or browser Chrome browser

Anyone who for any reason wants third-party cookies to continue working in Chrome can re-enable them by clicking the eye icon in the search bar

Third-party cookies have been a fundamental part of the Internet for nearly three decades, Google says, but they are seen as an invasion of privacy because they leak our online activities to advertisers.

Google said Tracking Protection focuses on third-party cookies, which are placed on a user’s device by websites other than the one the user is visiting – usually by digital advertising companies.

Third-party cookies are created when a user visits a website that contains elements from other sites, such as images or third-party advertisements.

They contrast with first-party cookies, which are set by the site a user is visiting and are often useful because they allow the browser to remember important user information.

Google plans to replace third-party cookies with a new system that limits data sharing within its own organization, which they say is better for our privacy.

Essentially, advertisers will have to ask Chrome what kind of topics they want to browse for (like fashion, food, or travel) rather than having direct access to our browsing data.

It is not without controversy, however, as regulators fear the change will increase Google’s dominance of the online advertising market.

Advertisers have said the loss of cookies in the world’s most popular browser will limit their ability to collect information to personalize ads and make them dependent on Google’s user databases.

Google’s plans to ban third-party cookies for all users by 2024 are dependent on addressing antitrust concerns raised by the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA).

The regulator’s former CEO, Andrea Coscelli, said it would keep a “close eye” on the Silicon Valley giant and “we are under no illusions that our job is done.”

WHAT IS GOOGLE’S NEW ‘PRIVACY SANDBOX’?

Google has announced a major new initiative called the “privacy sandbox,” which it hopes will help set a new standard for balancing privacy with targeted advertising.

According to the company, the new initiatives will act as an “open standard” not only for the company, but also for others involved in big data and web browsing.

To help find a medium, Google said it will delve into several key areas of user data, including:

Ad selection, which allows advertisers to collect personal information that is used to target ads. Google says it wants to further anonymize data while providing advertising companies with the information they need to target audiences.
Conversion measurement, which tracks whether or not an advertisement has led to a sale. Google was less specific, but said it is the first phase of planning with Apple on how to adjust its metrics to reflect privacy expectations
Fraud prevention, which are tools used to combat fraudulent or malicious advertisements that can scam customers. While these tools can help protect users, Google says they can sometimes invade privacy

Google says its initiatives will likely last “several years” and has invited members of its advertising community and others on its platform to provide feedback.