Cookie Deprecation Reality Check: What Actually Changed in 2025 (and What You Need to Know Now)

In recent years, marketers have been bracing for the “death of the cookie.” News headlines proclaimed the imminent end of third-party cookies, with predictions of seismic shifts in how advertising works. Yet as of 2025, the reality is far more nuanced. In this article, we’ll take a clear-eyed look at what has really changed — and what hasn’t — in cookie deprecation. Along the way, you’ll gain practical insight you can use today for your digital marketing efforts in the U.S. and globally.

“We can’t just sit back and hope the landscape sorts itself out — we must adapt now or risk falling behind.” — Mr. Phalla Plang, Digital Marketing Specialist

1. Setting the Stage: Why Cookie Deprecation Was Sounding Alarms

Third-party cookies have long enabled marketers to track users across multiple websites, power retargeting, frequency capping, and audience segmentation. Over time, increasing pressure from privacy laws (e.g., GDPR, CCPA, and similar regulations) and consumer demand for more control forced browser makers and ad platforms to reckon with the risks of cross-site tracking.

Because of this pressure, Google Chrome — which holds a dominant share of global browser usage — announced plans in 2020 to phase out third-party cookies entirely (within about two years). That timeline was repeatedly delayed: pushed into 2022, then 2023, 2024, and ultimately early 2025. (A partial rollout restricting cookies for 1% of users began in January 2024) (Stape, 2024). stape.io

Other browsers already moved more aggressively: Safari blocks third-party cookies by default via ITP, and Firefox implements Enhanced Tracking Protection. Thus, even if Chrome delayed its move, many parts of the web had already evolved.

The thinking was: by 2025, the cookie would be largely obsolete — forcing advertisers and publishers to adopt new, privacy-friendly frameworks.

2. The Big Pivot: Google Reverses Course on Deprecation

In April 2025, Google stunned the industry by announcing it would not proceed with the forced deprecation of third-party cookies. Instead, Chrome will continue to offer users choice in handling third-party cookies and will not roll out a new standalone prompt for cookie opt-in (Privacy Sandbox adjustments continue). Privacy Sandbox+2cookieyes.com+2

This reversal reflected multiple pressures:

• Regulatory and competition concerns: The UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) and Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) had raised objections that abandoning cookies outright might give Google an unfair advantage, given its access to vast first-party data. cookieyes.com+3groas.ai+3Privacy Sandbox+3
• Technical and adoption challenges: The Privacy Sandbox APIs (e.g., Topics, Protected Audience) had limitations in replicating cookie-level targeting precision. Many in the ad tech ecosystem expressed skepticism. groas.ai+2Privacy Sandbox+2
• Market feedback: Early tests showed noticeable revenue declines for publishers when cookies were restricted without adequate replacement solutions (e.g., –20% or more in programmatic revenue) (Groas analysis). groas.ai+1

In effect, Google has paused the forced phase-out and decided to let users, rather than the browser, choose whether to accept third-party cookies. In Chrome’s Privacy & Security settings, users can currently disable or permit cookies at their discretion. Privacy Sandbox+2groas.ai+2

So, cookies aren’t dead — at least not yet. For now, they remain functional in Chrome by default (unless users change their settings). Adtelligent+2groas.ai+2

3. What Changed — and What Didn’t: The Real Impact

Let’s walk through the actual shifts and what remains steady.

A. What Changed

1. User choice becomes central
   Rather than enforcing cookie bans at the browser level, Google is giving users control over third-party cookies. This means variability: some users will keep cookies enabled, others will disable them. Advertisers must contend with fragmented targeting environments. Privacy Sandbox+2groas.ai+2
2. Privacy protections ramp up in Incognito mode
   Chrome already blocks third-party cookies by default in Incognito. New protections — including IP Protection in Incognito mode — are planned for Q3 2025. Privacy Sandbox
3. Greater emphasis on Privacy Sandbox, but with recalibration
   Google continues to evolve Privacy Sandbox APIs (Topics, Protected Audience, Attribution Reporting, CHIPS, Storage Access API) as alternate tools for targeting, measurement, and data control. Privacy Sandbox+2Privacy Sandbox+2
   For example, Google supports CHIPS (Partitioned cookies via the Partitioned attribute) and the Storage Access API to allow limited cookie-like mechanisms in constrained contexts. Privacy Sandbox
4. Slower transition, but urgency remains
   Because enforcement is delayed, marketers have extra runway. But this is not a license to postpone adaptation: the shift to privacy-first practices is still underway.

B. What Didn’t Change (Yet)

1. Third-party cookies still work (assuming user choice allows them)
   Even with the pivot, third-party cookies continue to function in Chrome unless users disable them. They are not yet forcibly removed. Adtelligent+2Privacy Sandbox+2
2. Other browsers maintain strong restrictions
   Safari and Firefox still block or disable cross-site tracking methods by default. For many users, cookie-based tracking is already limited or ineffective. porchgroupmedia.com+2Adtelligent+2
3. The need for first-party data strategies is unchanged
   Even before Chrome’s reversal, marketers were told to invest heavily in first-party data. That advice remains just as relevant (if not more so) now.
4. Regulatory pressures continue
   Privacy regulation continues tightening globally; your compliance obligations don’t get lighter just because cookie deprecation is delayed.

4. Why This Matters: Key Consequences for Marketers & Publishers

4.1 Fragmentation & Complexity

Because users now have genuine choice, your audiences might fall into two camps: those who accept cookies and those who don’t. You need dual strategies:

• For users permitting cookies: traditional targeting (with caution).
• For users blocking cookies: rely on first-party signals, cohort-based or contextual targeting, and privacy-preserving APIs (e.g., Topics API).

This fragmentation raises complexity in ad delivery, measurement, and budget allocation.

4.2 Performance Uncertainty & Measurement Limits

Without cookies, attribution becomes coarser. Even with Privacy Sandbox tools, you may lose granularity in performance metrics. The Attribution Reporting API offers aggregated, anonymized insights, but not individual-level paths. Privacy Sandbox+1

Some advertisers may see reductions in performance or ROI until new methods stabilize. For instance, tests of IBA (Interest-Based Advertising) versus cookies-based targeting saw declines in scale of 2–7% in early-stage comparisons. groas.ai

4.3 First-Party Data Is King

The most resilient advantage now is data you collect directly from users (with consent). Email lists, CRM signals, customer behavior on your site — all can be leveraged without risking cross-site tracking compliance issues.

To convert visitors into first-party data holders, you can build loyalty programs, gated content, logins/memberships, surveys, or incentivized sign-ups.

4.4 Contextual and Cohort Targeting Boosts

Contextual targeting — showing ads aligned with page content rather than user history — becomes more central. Combined with cohort-based approaches (like Topics API), you can approximate relevance without infringing privacy.

4.5 Publisher Monetization Pressures

Publishers who depended heavily on fine-grained programmatic targeting face revenue declines if advertisers can’t reach audiences effectively. Many publishers are shifting to paywalls, subscriptions, first-party audience monetization, or clean-room partnerships.

4.6 Strategic Shifts in Technology Stack

Expect increasing use of:

• Consent Management Platforms (CMPs) to handle opt-ins and preferences.
• Data clean rooms to collaborate data across partners while preserving privacy.
• Server-side tracking and tagging to reduce reliance on client-side cookies.
• Integration of Privacy Sandbox APIs and regular testing of their impact.

5. What You Should Do Right Now: A Roadmap

Here’s a step-by-step action plan you can begin implementing immediately.

Step 1: Audit Your Dependency on Third-Party Cookies

Identify which parts of your campaigns, measurement, or services depend on cross-site cookies. Map those dependencies so you know what needs alternative solutions.

Step 2: Accelerate First-Party Data Collection

Design campaigns, user experiences, and site flows to get users to log in, subscribe, or interact in ways that surface first-party signals (with user consent).

Step 3: Test Privacy Sandbox APIs & Parallel Approaches

If you use Google Ads or other ad platforms that have adopted Privacy Sandbox tools, launch parallel campaigns using Topics API, Protected Audience, etc. Compare performance against traditional approaches.

Step 4: Modularize Strategy

Maintain a flexible architecture so you can route traffic, adjust attribution models, or shift budgets quickly. Because the environment is uncertain, agility is an advantage.

Step 5: Invest in Contextual & Semantic Targeting

Use tools and AI-driven platforms that analyze page content to place relevant ads without user-level tracking.

Step 6: Collaborate with Publishers & Partners

Negotiate clean data sharing, federated learning models, or anonymized data collaboration (i.e., clean rooms) to maintain segmentation while preserving privacy.

Step 7: Monitor Browser & Regulatory Changes

Stay updated on Chrome’s roadmap (e.g. IP protections in Incognito), and on emerging privacy laws globally. A change in regulation or browser policy can shift your path quickly.

6. Myth-Busting: What Cookie Deprecation Didn’t Do

• It didn’t kill all third-party cookies immediately. Cookies remain functional in many cases, pending user settings.
• It didn’t equalize browsers. Chrome’s delayed move gives it a unique place compared to Safari/Firefox, which remain more restrictive.
• It didn’t remove the need for targeting and measurement. It just changed the tools and the complexity involved.
• It didn’t negate privacy compliance demands. Whether cookies are blocked or not, you still must follow consent laws.

7. Looking Ahead: What Comes Next in 2025+

A. User Opt-Out Rates Will Be a Crucial Metric

Once Chrome presents meaningful choices, opt-out rates will shape how cookie-based strategies fare. Some estimates suggest 70–80% of users may disable third-party cookies when given control (based on opt-out trends in mobile tracking), though this is speculative.

B. Evolving Privacy APIs

Google will continue refining Privacy Sandbox tools. New capabilities may reduce gaps between cookies and privacy-preserving targeting.

C. Cross-Browser Divergence

Expect more fragmentation across browser environments. Efficient marketers will tailor strategies by browser context.

D. Greater Consolidation & Vendor Advantage

Firms controlling both data and ad platforms (like Google) may gain even more leverage. Independent ad tech vendors must innovate or partner to stay relevant.

E. Hybrid Models — Cookie + Clean Rooms + Cohorts

The future is likely hybrid: some cookie-based targeting when permitted, cohort-based targeting when not, and data collaboration via clean rooms.

8. Final Thoughts

Cookie deprecation was never going to be simple or abrupt. The reversal by Google in 2025 underscores that the shift toward privacy-first advertising is complex, layered, and subject to regulatory, technical, and market forces.

Yes, the cookie landscape has changed — user choice now matters, privacy tools are evolving, and fragmentation is real. But cookies are not dead yet. The key truth is: marketers and publishers must be ready for multiple scenarios, adapt quickly, and lean harder on first-party strategies.

If you treat the pivot as an opportunity rather than a disruption, you can emerge stronger and more sustainable.

References

AdExchanger. (2025, June 9). The amount of lost cookie-related revenue that publishers on average were able to recover when using the Sandbox APIs was just 4.2%. AdExchanger. Retrieved from https://www.adexchanger.com/data-privacy-roundup/no-shade-but-does-anyone-still-care-about-the-privacy-sandbox/

CookieBot. (2024, November 28). No more cookies? Google ending third-party cookies in Chrome. Retrieved from https://www.cookiebot.com/en/google-third-party-cookies/

CookieYes. (2025, April). Google Cookie Deprecation U-Turn: What’s Next for Marketers? Retrieved from https://www.cookieyes.com/blog/google-cookie-deprecation/

DigitalCommerce360. (2024, July 24). Google ends its third-party cookies deprecation plans for Chrome. Retrieved from https://www.digitalcommerce360.com/2024/07/24/third-party-cookies-deprecation-google-chrome/

Didomi. (2025, April 29). Google Chrome is keeping third-party cookies after all — Didomi. Retrieved from https://www.didomi.io/blog/google-chrome-third-party-cookies-april-2025

Forrester. (2024). Google Finally Scraps Its Cookie Deprecation Plans. Forrester Blogs. Retrieved from https://www.forrester.com/blogs/google-finally-scraps-its-cookie-deprecation-plans/

Gu, Z. (2025). Can privacy technologies replace cookies? Ad revenue, latency, and recovery. Retrieved from https://www.econstor.eu/bitstream/10419/322493/1/cesifo1_wp11931.pdf

Index Exchange. (2024, July 11). Insights From Our Privacy Sandbox Testing. Retrieved from https://www.indexexchange.com/en-gb/2024/07/11/insights-privacy-sandbox-testing/

Johnson, G. (2025). Unearthing Privacy-Enhancing Ad Technologies (PEAT). SSRN. https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=4983927

Laub, R., Miller, K. M., & Skiera, B. (2023). The economic value of user tracking for publishers. arXiv. Retrieved from https://arxiv.org/abs/2303.10906

Miller, K. M., Lukic, K., & Skiera, B. (2024). The Impact of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) on Online Tracking. arXiv. Retrieved from https://arxiv.org/abs/2411.06862

OneTrust. (2025, April). Google drops plans for third-party cookie choice prompt in Chrome. Retrieved from https://www.onetrust.com/blog/google-drops-plans-for-third-party-cookie-choice-prompt-in-chrome/

Privacy Sandbox. (2025, April 22). Next steps for Privacy Sandbox and tracking protections in Chrome. Retrieved from https://privacysandbox.com/news/privacy-sandbox-next-steps/

Privacy Sandbox. (n.d.). Third-party cookies. Retrieved from https://privacysandbox.google.com/cookies