Google — which planned to block third-party cookies in 2022, then 2023, then 2024, then 2025 — now says it won’t block them after all. A big win for adtech, but what about publishers?
While cookie banners are annoying and often dishonest, we need to consider the broader implications of an online ecosystem that is increasingly manipulative by design.
Google’s trying to figure out how to satisfy privacy advocates without crippling its gazillion-dollar ad business — or poking regulators around the world. Now, the company says it needs more time, and publishers should take advantage.
Some third-party cookies were still present, of course. But there was a decrease in third-party content loaded from social media platforms and from content recommendation widgets.
We’re seeing what publishers have decided to implement on their websites as of May 25 — whether they’ve decided to block European Union and European Economic Area-based traffic outright, set up buckets of consent for readers to click through, or done something simpler (or nothing new at all).
Ellis, Justin. "Who watches the watchmen? The Guardian crowdsources its investigation into online tracking." Nieman Journalism Lab. Nieman Foundation for Journalism at Harvard, 18 Apr. 2012. Web. 11 Dec. 2024.
APA
Ellis, J. (2012, Apr. 18). Who watches the watchmen? The Guardian crowdsources its investigation into online tracking. Nieman Journalism Lab. Retrieved December 11, 2024, from https://www.niemanlab.org/2012/04/who-watches-the-watchmen-the-guardian-crowdsources-its-investigation-into-online-tracking/
Chicago
Ellis, Justin. "Who watches the watchmen? The Guardian crowdsources its investigation into online tracking." Nieman Journalism Lab. Last modified April 18, 2012. Accessed December 11, 2024. https://www.niemanlab.org/2012/04/who-watches-the-watchmen-the-guardian-crowdsources-its-investigation-into-online-tracking/.
Wikipedia
{{cite web
| url = https://www.niemanlab.org/2012/04/who-watches-the-watchmen-the-guardian-crowdsources-its-investigation-into-online-tracking/
| title = Who watches the watchmen? The Guardian crowdsources its investigation into online tracking
| last = Ellis
| first = Justin
| work = [[Nieman Journalism Lab]]
| date = 18 April 2012
| accessdate = 11 December 2024
| ref = {{harvid|Ellis|2012}}
}}
