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Google Retires Privacy Sandbox, Ending Its Cookie-Free Ad Push

Google cites low adoption after years of regulatory scrutiny.

Overview

  • Vice President Anthony Chavez announced the shutdown, confirming the initiative and its remaining technologies are being phased out.
  • Multiple Sandbox APIs are being retired, including Topics, Protected Audience, Attribution Reporting, Private Aggregation, On-Device Personalization, and IP Protection.
  • Chrome will continue to allow third-party cookies, following Google’s 2024 decision to maintain its existing cookie-choice approach.
  • Google says it will continue privacy work across Chrome, Android, and the web without the Privacy Sandbox branding, using lessons learned from the project.
  • The move delivers short-term stability for advertisers yet leaves privacy-first ad targeting and measurement unresolved, even as regulators and rival platforms intensify scrutiny.