Copyright Newsweek
Google has announced Privacy Sandbox, which removed tracking cookies in Chrome, is being discontinued in a major update. Why it Matters Google’s decision to discontinue Privacy Sandbox marks a turning point in online privacy for the more than 3 billion users of its Chrome browser. Privacy Sandbox was intended to phase out tracking cookies and find less invasive methods of online advertising, aiming to protect user privacy while supporting the ad industry and regulatory demands. Its retirement leaves the status quo of internet tracking largely unchanged, despite regulatory pressure and growing user concerns about digital privacy. The move comes as competitors like OpenAI highlight privacy as a major feature in new browser offerings, and as regulators scrutinize Big Tech handling of consumer data. What To Know Google confirmed on October 21 that its Privacy Sandbox project is being "phased out," ending years of efforts to replace third-party tracking cookies in Chrome. Federated Learning of Cohorts (FLoC), Attribution Reporting API, IP Protection, Private Aggregation, and several other initiatives under Privacy Sandbox are being retired because of low adoption and unresolved technical challenges. Chrome continues to dominate with more than a 70 percent share of both mobile and desktop browser markets worldwide according to Forbes. Google’s latest AI-driven upgrade to Chrome, which features integration with its Gemini model, raises questions about privacy because of increased data harvesting capabilities. Competitors are capitalizing on privacy concerns: Apple advised iPhone users to consider alternatives to Chrome, and Microsoft issued similar warnings for Windows users. The absence of a viable alternative to tracking cookies means digital advertisers retain short-term stability, but the lack of progress toward "privacy-safe" ad solutions creates ongoing uncertainty as data regulations tighten. In parallel, AI-powered browsers—such as OpenAI’s new ChatGPT Atlas—are beginning to enter the mainstream, promising greater user control and privacy by design, but their long-term adoption and impact remain to be seen. OpenAI announced ChatGPT Atlas on Tuesday, which they described as “a new web browser built with ChatGPT at its core” that “takes us closer to a true super-assistant that understands your world and helps you achieve your goals.” What People Are Saying Speaking to Ad Week a Google spokesperson said: “We will be continuing our work to improve privacy across Chrome, Android and the web, but moving away from the Privacy Sandbox branding. We’re grateful to everyone who contributed to this initiative, and will continue to collaborate with the industry to develop and advance platform technologies that help support a healthy and thriving web.” Technology analyst Eric Seufert said in a post on X: “Google today announced that it has effectively discontinued its Privacy Sandbox for both Chrome and Android. “In ‘What's the fate of the GAID?,’ published in April, I argued that Google's abandonment of cookie deprecation likely indicated that the Privacy Sandbox would be sunset completely, and so deprecation of the GAID would not move forward. This news today seems to affirm that.” Quintus Potgieter, who works for the technology focused Ludlow Institute think tank, said on X: “Oh look, another reason to use @brave browser. After years of telling users (and notably marketers) they'd have to prepare for a cookieless future, Chrome has simply given up on preserving the privacy of its users and is abandoning their privacy sandbox.” On the competitive front, OpenAI positioned its ChatGPT Atlas browser by stating: "Atlas places user privacy and control at its forefront. It’s designed to ensure users can choose what ChatGPT can remember, as well as manage browsing history and individual page memories independently. Default security settings prevent unauthorized data access or code execution.” What Happens Next The end of Privacy Sandbox returns the ad-supported web to its previous reliance on third-party cookies and cross-site tracking. In the immediate term, advertisers can expect stability, but the lack of innovation in privacy solutions is anticipated to attract further regulatory scrutiny in the U.S. and abroad. Google’s dominance is likely to persist, supported by ongoing rollouts of Gemini-powered Chrome features.The emergence of privacy-focused and AI-integrated browsers such as ChatGPT Atlas may accelerate competition and consumer demand for enhanced privacy controls.
