Google has decided to halt its plans to phase out third-party cookies, opting instead to introduce a new user choice feature.

As a result, the shift in strategy will now focus on giving users more control over their data and privacy settings.

In an announcement, the technology giant stated it will maintain third-party cookies for users who don’t disable them.

Subscribe to Mobile Marketing Magazine

Click here to get the latest marketing news free in your inbox every Thursday

To boost user privacy and keep advertising effective, Google will now introduce a one-time prompt allowing users to set preferences applicable across all Google browsing experiences.

In a blog post, Google VP of Privacy Sandbox, Anthony Chavez, said: “We are proposing an updated approach that elevates user choice.

“Instead of deprecating third-party cookies, we would introduce a new experience in Chrome that lets people make an informed choice that applies across their web browsing, and they’d be able to adjust that choice at any time.”

The move follows feedback from regulators, publishers, web developers, standards groups, civil society and the advertising industry, including the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) and Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).

The CMA highlighted 39 concerns about Google’s Privacy Sandbox in January, as a result Google now plans to work with the regulator and other bodies to refine its Privacy Sandbox and the new privacy prompt, engaging with the industry during the rollout, Chavez added.

He stated: “We’re grateful to all the organisations and individuals who have worked with us over the last four years to develop, test and adopt the Privacy Sandbox. And as we finalize this approach, we’ll continue to consult with the CMA, ICO and other regulators globally.

“We look forward to continued collaboration with the ecosystem on the next phase of the journey to a more private web.”