Third time’s the charm? Following two previous extensions to its cookie deprecation timeline, Google is now targeting Q1/Q2 2025 for its phaseout of third-party cookies in Chrome. The decision came after the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) and numerous publishers, supply-side platforms, and industry stakeholders expressed significant concerns over technical hurdles related to Google’s Privacy Sandbox.
Although advertisers might appreciate the delay, time is still of the essence when preparing for the cookieless future. DeepIntent remains steadfast in its commitment to maintaining a privacy-safe environment. That’s why we continue to invest in and test solutions that do not rely on third-party cookies.
Here are two things you should know about the current state of cookie deprecation.
Industry Concerns Influenced Google’s New Deadline
Google’s extension will allow more time for the development and testing of Privacy Sandbox technologies. But it’s crucial to understand how concerns about those technologies—raised by industry stakeholders and regulators—contributed to the delay.
In February, the CMA ordered Google to halt its phaseout of third-party cookies until it addressed anticompetitive concerns. Regulators have criticized the Privacy Sandbox for potentially favoring Google’s ad products and undermining the role of publishers and ad tech companies.
Additionally, the IAB Tech Lab’s Privacy Sandbox Task Force highlighted how the existing application programming interfaces (APIs) would result in bid conflicts, delayed bid receipt, and reliance on limited intermediaries. For example, Protected Audience API (PAAPI) strictly depends on intermediaries known as Trusted Execution Environments, of which there are only two: Google and Amazon.
Google addressed these concerns in an update to the industry, sharing that they “recognize that there are ongoing challenges related to reconciling divergent feedback from the industry regulators and developers, and will continue to engage closely with the entire ecosystem,” including the CMA and Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO). “Assuming we can reach an agreement, we envision proceeding with third-party cookie deprecation starting early next year.”
Our Preparation for Cookie Deprecation Continues
After Google’s announcement, DeepIntent’s plans for cookie deprecation remain unchanged. We will continue to target and measure using whichever identifiers are available in the bid stream, which for now will include third-party cookies. However, our solutions do not rely on them.
Third-party cookies will, eventually, disappear from digital advertising. Google’s delay provides us and our partners with more time to innovate. Strengthening our strategies and testing new ones is critical for guaranteeing powerful, ethical advertising in a more privacy-centric landscape.
Are you ready for the cookieless future? Here are two questions you should ask your DSP about going cookieless.