Chrome is changing the rules of the game again. The new cookie message is over: Google is abandoning the idea. Instead, the browser is improving private browsing with a new feature to better protect your IP address.
For several years, third-party cookies have been at the center of debates about online privacy. These small files allow websites to track users from one page to another, often for advertising purposes. Some browsers like Safari and Firefox already block them by default. Chrome, for its part, has long hesitated over how to handle this sensitive issue, torn between its position as the dominant browser and its central role in the advertising ecosystem.
Google announced today that it is giving up offer a new window dedicated to managing third-party cookies. Initially planned as part of the Privacy Sandbox initiative, this option was intended to allow users to make an informed choice. Ultimately, the company prefers to maintain the current interface in Chrome's privacy settings. According to the company, this decision follows very mixed feedback from web players, developers, regulators, and the advertising industry.
Google Chrome improves private browsing to better protect your IP address
At the same time, Google will strengthen private browsing in Chrome with a new feature called IP Protection. Already available as an open source project, this technology aims to hide the user's real IP address when they browse in Incognito mode. The goal is to prevent third-party sites from tracking a user from one site to another through the latter. This device is expected to be officially launched in the third quarter of 2025.
With this announcement, Google is seeking to improve its image in terms of respect for privacy, while it is currently the target of several antitrust proceedings in the United States. Some proposals even mention the forced resale of Chrome, and OpenAI has already said it was interested in acquiring it. Private IP protection could offer users greater control without directly impacting advertising revenue. The company promises to continue to engage with web players and adjust its roadmap in the coming months.
0 Comments