Google has effectively killed off its alternative cookie technology Sandbox in a move that will be welcomed by many publishers.
It follows news in July 2024 that Google had scrapped plans to ban third-party cookies on its dominant Chrome web browsers first announced five years earlier.
Cookies underpin much online advertising revenue for publishers by enabling them to track readers and so sell them more targeted advertising at a premium.
UK publishers have become increasingly strident in their use of cookie targeting over the last year. The Guardian, Mail Online, Mirror, Sun, Times and others now ask readers to accept tracking cookies on their web browsers or pay for cookie-free access.
The news this week means cookie-based advertising revenue for publishers is looking safer.
Some publishers such as US-based Dotdash Meredith have already moved away from cookie-based targeting in favour of other solutions. DDM claims to make more money by serving advertising personalised around the content itself, rather than the identity of of readers. Such contextual advertising solutions sidestep the challenge of persuading readers to accept cookies and the fact that cookies are already blocked on Apple devices.
Some publishers feared that Google’s alternative Sandbox ad-targeting technology would be used to further leverage its dominant position in the adtech market (and so further tighten its grip on global adspend).
Google and Meta and are believed to account for around more than half of the UK advertising market, which was worth £36.6bn in 2023.
The move to largely kill off Sandbox comes a week after a US federal judge ruled that Google violated antitrust law by maintaining a monopoly position on both publisher ad services and online ad exchanges.
Google vice president in charge of Privacy Sandbox Anthony Chavez said: “We’ve made the decision to maintain our current approach to offering users third-party cookie choice in Chrome, and will not be rolling out a new standalone prompt for third-party cookies. Users can continue to choose the best option for themselves in Chrome’s Privacy and Security Settings.
“We’ll continue to enhance tracking protections in Chrome’s Incognito mode, which already blocks third-party cookies by default. This includes IP Protection, which we plan to launch in Q3 2025.
“And we’ll continue to invest in making Chrome the world’s most trusted browser, with technologies like Safe Browsing, Safety Check, built-in password protections, AI-powered security protections, and more.”
James Rosewell, co-founder of the campaign group Movement for an Open Web, said: “This is an admission by Google that the Privacy Sandbox project is all but over.
“Google’s intention was to remove open and interoperable communications standards to bring digital advertising traffic under their sole control and, with this announcement, that aim is now over. They’ve recognised that the regulatory obstacles to their monopolistic project are insurmountable and have given up.
“Regulators are moving to guarantee interoperability just like they do in other sectors such as telecoms and utilities. Google moved before they were pushed. Digital is finally growing up. Hurrah!
“Now innovators can come forward with a multitude of ideas offering different features, including in non-price factors of competition such as privacy, sustainability, and customer experience. Competition on the merits will determine which ideas are adopted, not GApple [Google and Apple] gatekeepers.
“The digital advertising market has been operating in a fog of uncertainty for nearly five years as a result of Google’s abortive attempt to seize control. Endless millions of hours and dollars have been wasted by companies in preparation for this, and many millions more have been lost in opportunity cost and thwarted investment. That is unforgiveable and should add further urgency to the moves by the DoJ [US Department of Justice], EU and UK to clip GApple’s wings permanently with antitrust actions. No company should be allowed to hold an industry to ransom in this way.
“We trust that the CMA [UK Competition and Markets Authority], EC [European Commission], DoJ and other regulators will remain vigilant to this threat and keep the project under observation.
“Apple must follow suit and reinstate unrestricted interoperability in iOS and Safari. The only question is: when?”
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