Launched in 2019 and at a time when Google had planned cookie deprecation, Google has retired its Privacy Sandbox project.
The initiative aimed to test and roll out privacy-protecting tech that would eventually succeed third-party cookies on the internet. It aimed to find a balance between protecting user privacy, and providing tracking tools for the ad industry that met the requirements of regulators.
After kicking cookies deprecation down the road from 2020 to 2024, and then deciding to retain cookies but with an opt-in, in April Google decided to go back to square one by allowing users third-party cookie choice in its Chrome browser.
This flagged that Google’s focus on privacy had pivoted and cookies were here to stay. These latest developments confirm the Privacy Sandbox is being permanently shelved, although Google maintains it will continue to invest in privacy improvements across Chrome and the web.
In a recent blog, Google’s vice president of Privacy Sandbox Anthony Chavez revealed that “after evaluating ecosystem feedback about their expected value and in light of their low levels of adoption”, Google has decided to retire the following Privacy Sandbox technologies:
- Attribution Reporting API (Chrome and Android)
- IP Protection
- On-Device Personalisation
- Private Aggregation
- Protected Audience
- Protected App Signals
- Related Website Sets
- Select URL
- SDK Run time
- Topics for Chrome and Android
Google will retain some technology it has developed during the Privacy Sandbox initiative.
“For the areas moving forward, we’ll continue to utilize learnings from the retired Privacy Sandbox technologies, share web platform proposals for ecosystem feedback, and build with developer choice and user protection at the core,” Chavez added.
“For example, feedback from companies who built on the Attribution Reporting API will help inform our work on an interoperable Attribution web standard through the Private Advertising Technology Working Group of the W3C.
“We’re grateful to everyone who contributed to the design and development of the Privacy Sandbox technologies. As the web ecosystem continues to evolve, Chrome will continue to collaborate with stakeholders across industry forums, trade groups, the W3C and GitHub to develop and advance platform technologies that help support a healthy and thriving web.”
