The time has finally come for Google to give in to its users – over the next few months, we’re going to start seeing an increase in the amount of control we have over the kinds of cookies that can follow us around the web. This announcement from the giant internet overlord has sent out waves of shock across the industry, but it’s not unwelcome. Essentially, their goal is to provide the users with greater control over which kinds of cookies can implant themselves into our browsers.
While this change is beneficial from a consumer Photo Editing Services point of view, a dagger hides in the shadows for advertisers: now that users can decide whether they want their information to be used for advertising purposes, what is going to happen to dynamic advertisement?
Let’s break down Google’s announcement, including the benefits and possible ramifications for the digital marketing industry.
What is a third-party cookie?
Let’s start by defining the distinction between a third-party cookie and a first-party cookie. A first-party cookie comes directly from the website that you are currently looking at, and it implants itself in your browser in order to do helpful things like remembering your login details. You are able to give it permission by checking the “Remember Me” box when you log in, which makes it a very transparent process.
On the other hand, third-party cookies are implanted in your browser and follow you around the Internet, no matter which website you visit. The purpose of these is not malicious – they gather data in order to personalise advertisements to your interests. However, there’s been a distinct lack of transparency regarding which websites use the cookies and a deficiency in the amount of control provided to the user.