GUEST COMMENT Why Google’s cookie retreat reinforces the need for independent ad tech

In a move that surprised few but still reverberated across the industry, Google has once again delayed the deprecation of third-party cookies, with no firm deadline in sight. While the company cites regulatory concerns, many see it as further proof that meaningful privacy reform is much harder to implement than announced. It’s also a clear signal that the industry can’t afford to wait for one company’s timeline to shape the future of digital advertising. Shamim Samadi explains

Google’s reality check

Google’s original plan to block third-party cookies in Chrome was once hailed as a watershed moment for online privacy and the ad tech industry. But after years of delays and growing resistance from regulators and advertisers, the company’s commitment to the timeline has eroded. 

In July 2024, Anthony Chavez, VP of Privacy Sandbox, signalled a partial retreat by announcing that Chrome users would be given a choice: opt into the Privacy Sandbox or continue allowing third-party cookies – a move that may have been aimed at mitigating potential repercussions from the antitrust trial.

Now, even that compromise has been shelved after Google cited the emergence of “privacy-enhancing technologies,” the potential for AI to bolster user privacy, and a shifting regulatory environment in its most recent blog post.

But it’s probable that the verdict from the antitrust case, where a federal judge recently ruled that the company unlawfully monopolised two critical segments in ad tech markets for publisher ad servers and ad exchanges, played a role in Google’s decision-making process.

This back-and-forth underscores why advertisers can’t hinge their strategies on a single provider. Future-ready solutions must work regardless of one company’s roadmap.

Future of Google’s Privacy Sandbox

Launched in 2019, the Privacy Sandbox quickly gained attention as a promising solution to curb invasive tracking while preserving the essential tools advertisers depend on. However, critics argued that Google’s Privacy Sandbox is anti-competitive as it significantly undermines advertisers’ targeting capabilities while simultaneously increasing their reliance on Google’s own advertising ecosystem.

Now, the future of the Privacy Sandbox is uncertain. Google has said that it intends to “engage with the industry to gather feedback and share an updated roadmap for these technologies.” Meanwhile, Chrome’s Incognito Mode will continue to block third-party cookies by default, and the browser is expected to introduce new tracking safeguards, such as IP Protection by Q3 2025.

While control remains in the hands of a few, marketers face a critical challenge – ensuring transparency, fairness, and true competition. The antitrust verdict of Google’s ad tech business has underscored the need for a clear separation between media and technology to protect advertisers’ interests, drive innovation, and foster an open marketplace. The future of advertising cannot be dictated by those who buy and sell media. It must be built on trust, choice, and independence. 

The industry can’t afford to retreat 

For many across the industry, Google’s reversal is a frustrating turn of events. Ad tech companies, publishers, and marketers have invested significant time and resources into preparing for a cookieless future.

While Google may have hit the brakes on cookie deprecation, those preparations are far from wasted. If anything, they remain essential. This decision offers only a temporary reprieve and the broader shift toward a more privacy-focused digital ecosystem is still very much underway.

For many brands, the last six years have accelerated their adoption of privacy-first practices and spurred innovation in data collection and audience segmentation. AI-driven technologies are also playing a critical role in reducing brand dependence on Google’s technology, providing scalable solutions for targeting and personalisation. Today, marketerscan already activate, measure, and optimize campaigns across devices and IDs without depending on a single identifier.

Meanwhile, ad tech providers are stepping in to offer innovative cookieless solutions, such as probabilistic and deterministic identity technologies, which ensure privacy-first audience targeting. Solutions like these enable advertisers to maintain precision in their campaigns while adhering to stringent privacy regulations. 

The way forward for identity management isn’t by working with or building one solution to rule them all but by integrating with and enhancing the continuously evolving identity ecosystem. Any strategy beholden to a single signal, partner, or strategy will fail in the long run. Advertisers deserve to choose where and how they invest without fear of bias or hidden incentives. A healthy, sustainable advertising ecosystem depends on it.

The future is open, intelligent, independent  

The media landscape is shifting as advertisers demand more control, transparency, and flexibility in how they manage their investments. Big tech platforms are no longer the only path forward. The recent antitrust ruling, for example, is about more than just one lawsuit. It’s about charting a better future for advertising and the industry is embracing a more open and diversified ecosystem. 

While change can be unsettling, especially when it disrupts long-held practices, we’ve long believed that the future of advertising is not dependent on third-party cookies – a belief that stands firm even despite Google’s U-turn. 

The marketers who embrace this shift now will lead tomorrow’s media economy. Future-proof your media strategies by leaning into first-party data, exploring privacy-first solutions, and working with independent partners who can bring transparency, interoperability, scale, and measurable outcomes to every impression.

Author

Shamim Samadi is Head of Product Strategy, Innovid