Google announced on Tuesday that it will not be abandoning the use of 'cookies' on its Chrome browser, despite promising their phase-out five years ago.
Since 2022, the California-based tech giant has discussed transitioning from cookies to a less intrusive system that can identify user preferences and interests without compiling browsing history.
Third-party cookies, which track internet usage beyond the site that installs them, are valuable targeting tools for advertisers.
In 2020, Google expressed its intention to block these cookies, but the measure has been postponed repeatedly.
As of July 2024, Google indicated it would not block cookies by default but would allow users the option to disable them.
"There is a clear divergence of views," said Anthony Chavez, Vice President responsible for Privacy Sandbox, regarding possible changes to cookies among content creators, developers, regulators, and the advertising industry.
According to Chavez, technological advancements since 2022, along with the rise of artificial intelligence (AI), have provided new ways to protect the personal data of users who do not wish to share it.
He also highlighted the "considerable evolution" in the global regulatory landscape.
"For all these reasons, we have decided to maintain our current approach to third-party cookies in Chrome," Chavez explained in a blog post on Tuesday.
