Google has announced that it will no longer deprecate third-party cookies in Chrome, after more than four years of working to develop tools that replicate the tracking technology’s advertising performance and measurement capabilities while protecting user privacy.

In a blog post released on Monday, VP of Privacy Sandbox Anthony Chavez said that Google is “proposing an updated approach that elevates user choice” by allowing users to select whether or not they want to enable cookies on Chrome and adjust that choice “at any time.”

“Instead of deprecating third-party cookies, we would introduce a new experience in Chrome that lets people make an informed choice that applies across their web browsing,” Chavez wrote.

Google said it will continue to invest in and make available its Privacy Sandbox APIs, which offer an alternative to third-party cookie tracking without compromising user privacy. It will also introduce IP Protection in Incognito browsing mode on Chrome.

The tech giant is “discussing this new path with regulators,” such as the UK Competition Markets Authority and Information Commissioner's Office, and promises to “engage with the industry as we roll this out,” Chavez wrote.

It released the news alongside new data that show improvements to Privacy Sandbox performance in areas like ad spend recovery (86%) and programmatic revenue recovery (80%) versus targeting with third-party cookies.

The news comes as Google has delayed the timeline to deprecated third-party cookies in Chrome twice since it first announced the decision in January 2020, with a timeline of completing the process within two years. In July of 2022, the tech giant delayed that timeline until the second half of 2024, before again pushing it this past April until 2025, pending approval from regulators.

The multiple hold-ups came amid slow industry adoption of Google’s privacy-safe alternatives, which do not offer the same level of performance and cross-site measurement capabilities as cookie tracking.

Agencies and brands have been preparing for the loss of third-party cookies for four years by testing new technologies like the Privacy Sandbox, shoring up their first-party data assets and experimenting with more privacy-friendly targeting, measurement and attribution solutions.

Now, they’ll have to wait and see how users choose to engage with private browsing tools before deciding how much to invest in privacy-safe ad tech moving forward. Rob Silver, EVP, head of media at Razorfish, believes that the trend toward more restrictive data usage is not going to die along with Google's third-party cookie plans.

'The trend towards more restrictive data usage is not going to stop, as the consumer push and regulatory momentum behind stricter controls are going to continue," he said. "Already, we are seeing how Google provides users with opt in/out options across devices, and they may adopt messaging that demonstrates the benefits cookies can have to a consumer experience. For advertisers, more control over first-party data is still the right strategy, and in the long-term, it will enable more efficient media targeting, better personalization, better measurement and ultimately better outcomes."

Google revealed the decision before it is set to report earnings tomorrow (Tuesday) at 1:30 p.m. PT.