Third-party cookie will be blocked in Chrome versions as part of Privacy Sandbox

⚠️UPDATE. 

On July 18, 2024 Google had a message: Third-party cookie will be blocked in future Chrome versions as part of Privacy Sandbox. Google wanted to prove their commitment to phase out third-party cookies by advancing privacy-focused initiatives like the Privacy Sandbox, which aims to create a more private and secure web experience for users while still allowing businesses to thrive through innovative advertising solutions.

But on July 22, 2024 they changed their message: Google will no longer pursue its plans to phase out third-party cookies. Instead, the company will introduce a new solution: a one-time prompt that allows users to set their preferences, which will apply across all Google browsing experiences.

On October 14, 2024 a new point appeared: Chrome is moving towards a new experience that lets people make an informed choice with respect to third-party cookies.

Learn more about this new update of October 2024 in our news post.

• For advertisers:

Third-party cookies have been a cornerstone of digital advertising, with personalized ads and retargeting. The removal of these cookies will challenge advertisers to find new ways to track user behavior and measure campaign effectiveness. This means they have to make a shift towards first-party data and alternative tracking technologies.

• For web developers:

Developers will need to adapt their websites and applications to comply with the new privacy standards set by the Privacy Sandbox. This could involve updating consent mechanisms, implementing new APIs provided by the Privacy Sandbox, and ensuring data collection practices align with privacy regulations.

• For users:

For everyday users, this change aims to enhance online privacy and reduce unwanted tracking. Users can expect fewer targeted ads based on their browsing history across different websites, which might lead to a more private and less intrusive online experience.

With server-side tracking, you can bypass the need for third-party cookies and client-side JavaScript libraries, which can slow down your site. Cookies are instead set from your cloud tagging server URL, which is associated with your main website domain.

In theory, server-side tracking operates like this: instead of numerous scripts being sent from the browser, there is only one request made to the tagging server containing all relevant data. The tagging server then processes this data and sends only the necessary information to each vendor.

Find out how to set up tagging server URL for server GTM and configure custom domain in our blog posts:

• How to add a custom domain to the Google Tag Manager Server container
• DNS configuration for custom domain for server-side tracking

Cookie lifetime has changed recently, with stricter rules on third-party and first-party cookies.

Using a custom domain for sGTM might be no longer enough to extend cookie life because the tagging server's IP differs from the main website's IP.

With Stape, you have four options to extend cookie lifetime:

1. 1.
   Same origin custom domain
2. 2.
   Own CDN
3. 3.
   Cookie Keeper power-up
4. 4.
   Cookie extender tag

While the phase-out of third-party cookies may seem like a big problem, it's actually a manageable one. With server-side tracking, you can continue to gather valuable insights and deliver personalized experiences without compromising on user privacy. We highly recommend adapting to this change as a step towards a more secure and trustworthy internet experience for everyone.

In fact, it's an opportunity to enhance privacy and build more trust with your audience!