ICO statement in response to Google announcing it will no longer block third party cookies in Chrome

Stephen Bonner, Deputy Commissioner at the ICO said:

"We are disappointed that Google has changed its plans and no longer intends to deprecate third party cookies from the Chrome Browser.

"From the start of Google's Sandbox project in 2019, it has been our view that blocking third party cookies would be a positive step for consumers.

"The new plan set out by Google is a significant change and we will reflect on this new course of action when more detail is available.

"Our ambition to support the creation of a more privacy friendly internet continues. Despite Google's decision, we continue to encourage the digital advertising industry to move to more private alternatives to third party cookies - and not to resort to more opaque forms of tracking.

"We will monitor how the industry responds and consider regulatory action where systemic non-compliance is identified for all companies including Google."