RIP, Google Privacy Sandbox

After six years of work, Google's Privacy Sandbox, technology for delivering ads while protecting privacy, looks like dust in the wind.

The Chocolate Factory on Tuesday raised the white flag and surrendered to pressure from watchdogs and rivals who preferred the status quo – third-party cookies and all the privacy problems that come with them. While a loss for user privacy, the move could lower the temperature on Google's troubles, as regulators feared the online ads giant would use the tool to boost its own already dominant advertising services.

Google at one point aimed to get rid of third-party cookies in Chrome – which by virtue of its dominance would break cookies for the ad industry. Now that's no longer the plan. Online advertising will remain the same as it ever was.

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