Google Delays Third-Party Cookie Deprecation Again: What Marketers Need to Know in 2025

In a move that sent ripples across the advertising world, Google has announced another delay in phasing out third-party cookies in Chrome—the web’s most dominant browser with over 60% market share.

Originally slated for 2022 and then postponed to 2024, the timeline is once again on hold. While some Chrome users may notice tracking limitations as part of a limited rollout, a full-scale deprecation has been delayed indefinitely.

For digital marketing agencies and advertisers who rely on cookie-based targeting, this announcement represents both a temporary reprieve and a renewed call for long-term strategy realignment.

What Was Google’s Original Plan?

In early 2020, Google announced it would phase out third-party cookies in Chrome, the world’s most popular browser utilized by 63.6% of internet users in the world (Statista, 2023). The goal: to “enhance user privacy” and comply with growing regulatory pressures globally—particularly from laws like GDPR and the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA).

At the heart of this initiative was the Privacy Sandbox, a suite of privacy-preserving APIs designed to support ad targeting, measurement, and fraud prevention—without revealing personal user data.

Given Chrome’s dominance, this shift was monumental. The entire advertising ecosystem—from major tech platforms to boutique agencies—began preparing for a cookie-less future.

The Updated Timeline

Google has recently announced further delay, citing the need to address ongoing feedback from regulators and the industry. While some users are already experiencing cookie phase-outs via the Tracking Protection opt-in feature, Chrome has not fully disabled third-party cookies for the majority of its user base.

There is currently no definitive replacement date. Google has said it will not proceed with full deprecation until it satisfies both the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) and other global regulators of the Privacy Sandbox’s competitive fairness and functionality.

What Are The Reasons For Delay?

This latest postponement reflects more than technical hurdles. Google cited regulatory scrutiny, industry concerns, and adoption readiness as key reasons for pushing back its cookie retirement plans.

• Ongoing antitrust investigations by the U.S. Department of Justice and the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), both examining whether Google’s Privacy Sandbox gives it an unfair advantage in the ad tech ecosystem.
• Technical feedback from publishers, developers, and ad platforms who argue that Sandbox APIs are not mature enough for real-world use.
• Lack of industry-wide readiness, especially among smaller businesses and agencies still reliant on cookie-based tools.

Google has stated it will not proceed with full cookie deprecation until the CMA concludes its assessment and confirms that competition won’t be harmed.

How Does This Impact the Advertising Ecosystem?

The delay gives advertisers a temporary breathing room, allowing the continued use of cookie-based tools for retargeting, conversion tracking, and audience segmentation.

However, it also prolongs the uncertainty. Brands and agencies that have started transitioning to first-party data strategies now find themselves managing parallel systems—straining teams, budgets, and tech stacks.

Smaller players, in particular, may struggle with the cost and complexity of privacy-safe alternatives.

What Should Marketers Do?

Although the timeline is unclear, the destination remains the same. Agencies and brands should use this extension wisely to future-proof their strategies by:

1. Auditing current dependencies on cookies across platforms and campaigns.
2. Strengthening first-party data capture—from CRM integrations to gated content and loyalty programs.
3. Exploring cookieless ad tech, including contextual advertising, cohort-based models, and Google’s evolving Privacy Sandbox tools.
4. Advising clients early on privacy compliance, measurement shifts, and risk mitigation strategies.

Read more: Google Delayed Third-Party Cookies Again. Smart Marketers Won’t.

Closing Thoughts

This isn’t a cancellation. It’s a temporary pause, shaped by legal pressure and market complexity. Sooner or later, third-party cookies will disappear—and marketers who’ve proactively evolved will be in the best position to thrive.

For now, this is an opportunity to rethink the role of data, privacy, and performance in your marketing mix. The agencies that can guide their clients through this uncertainty won’t just survive the cookie collapse—they’ll lead in what comes next.