Google Privacy Sandbox fades away: What happened?

After years of ambitious promises, Google has officially ended its Privacy Sandbox initiative, marking a major reversal in the company’s vision for online privacy. Originally launched in 2019, the project aimed to phase out third-party cookies while preserving advertisers’ ability to reach targeted audiences. But now, six years later, the tech giant has decided to abandon this effort and continue supporting third-party cookies in Chrome.

Why Google pulled the plug on Privacy Sandbox

Google cited a combination of regulatory pressure, industry resistance, and shifting digital landscapes as key reasons for the project’s demise. In a blog post, Anthony Chavez from Google acknowledged that feedback from publishers, developers, and advertisers made the rollout unfeasible. The decision signals a shift from innovation to pragmatism, as Google now focuses on refining existing features rather than revolutionizing online tracking.

What remains and what’s next

While the full-scale rollout of Privacy Sandbox has been scrapped, some technologies like the Topics API and IP address protection in Incognito mode will still be developed. Topics API, for instance, allows advertisers to show interest-based ads without sharing full browsing histories. Incognito mode will also see improvements, with enhanced tracking protections expected later in 2025.

A blow to privacy advocates

Critics argue that Google’s decision puts advertising profits above user privacy, undermining years of effort to create a more secure digital environment. Some privacy advocates see this as a win for alternative browsers like Firefox, which offer more robust privacy controls. The announcement has also reignited debates about Google’s dominance in the ad tech industry.