The end of third-party cookies
Posted: Thu Jul 10, 2025 3:41 am
As user privacy and security become increasingly important on the web, Google, Firefox, and other major players are beginning to phase out certain cookies altogether.
While this may be a benefit to user privacy, it also presents significant uncertainty for site owners and marketers who use third-party cookies to track individual users and display relevant advertising.
Being “cookie-free” means not using or accepting third-party cookies.
Since many of our web experiences rely on cookies for personalization, country email list it can be difficult to imagine an existence without cookies. How are we supposed to stay connected, have personalized experiences, or display targeted ads without some means of identification?
Fortunately, there are many alternatives that allow us to enjoy all the functionality of cookies without the cookies themselves. Although many websites and browsers are still in transition, all of these transitions add up to a common goal: a cookie-free future.
A cookie-free future has many benefits, especially when it comes to security.
However, these benefits may seem rather inconvenient to site owners and marketers, especially since 97% of advertisers use third-party data and cookies. As a result, many are wondering why a cookie-free future is necessary.
Fortunately, site owners and marketers will still be able to personalize experiences and target users, but without the inherent privacy and security concerns of cookies. To do this, they will need to leverage cookie alternatives, such as first-party data like persistent web IDs and tools like Google's Privacy Sandbox.
Furthermore, a cookie-free future may not be completely cookie-free after all. Since third-party cookies are the primary concern, many sites may still be able to continue using first-party cookies (the ones they serve themselves) without worry.
Privacy and security concerns are the primary reasons behind the elimination of cookies. As a result, most buyers and sellers believe that the elimination will benefit digital advertising in the long run.
For website owners, the cookie-free future is both promising and challenging. In this context, it's essential to properly manage consent according to the cookie policy and use platforms like Usercentrics to ensure regulatory compliance and respect for user privacy.
While site owners won't have to worry as much about cookie-related security issues, they will need to start changing the way they interact with users and ensure a consistent user experience.
For example, where most sites use session cookies to maintain login sessions, doing so will become increasingly insecure (and increasingly discouraged) in the cookie-free future. Alternatively, site owners should begin adopting first-party data strategies to leverage other (and more secure) personal identifiers.
Since advertisers primarily use third-party cookies to deliver targeted ads, digital marketing will see some of the biggest impacts of a cookieless future.
However, that's not necessarily a bad thing; if anything, it's a benefit. But how can it be when a cookie-free future virtually eliminates much of the data collected for marketing purposes?
The answer lies in staying on top of trends and cookie-free alternatives. While cookies have long been a trusted resource, they aren't the only reliable (or even the most secure) means of collecting user data. As we'll see later, many marketers will need to adopt first-party data strategies to maintain targeted ads, especially in the face of advanced ad blockers.
Of course, the impacts go beyond the adoption of alternatives. As the phasing out of cookies challenges many long-standing marketing strategies, marketing teams will also need to find ways to build their own data, build better relationships with exclusive advertisers, and better educate their organizations about cookie-free practices.
Although some major platforms like Google Chrome continue to delay the deprecation of third-party cookies, we are already in the transition phase. As a result, now is the best time for site owners, marketers, and businesses to prepare for a cookie-free future:
While this may be a benefit to user privacy, it also presents significant uncertainty for site owners and marketers who use third-party cookies to track individual users and display relevant advertising.
Being “cookie-free” means not using or accepting third-party cookies.
Since many of our web experiences rely on cookies for personalization, country email list it can be difficult to imagine an existence without cookies. How are we supposed to stay connected, have personalized experiences, or display targeted ads without some means of identification?
Fortunately, there are many alternatives that allow us to enjoy all the functionality of cookies without the cookies themselves. Although many websites and browsers are still in transition, all of these transitions add up to a common goal: a cookie-free future.
A cookie-free future has many benefits, especially when it comes to security.
However, these benefits may seem rather inconvenient to site owners and marketers, especially since 97% of advertisers use third-party data and cookies. As a result, many are wondering why a cookie-free future is necessary.
Fortunately, site owners and marketers will still be able to personalize experiences and target users, but without the inherent privacy and security concerns of cookies. To do this, they will need to leverage cookie alternatives, such as first-party data like persistent web IDs and tools like Google's Privacy Sandbox.
Furthermore, a cookie-free future may not be completely cookie-free after all. Since third-party cookies are the primary concern, many sites may still be able to continue using first-party cookies (the ones they serve themselves) without worry.
Privacy and security concerns are the primary reasons behind the elimination of cookies. As a result, most buyers and sellers believe that the elimination will benefit digital advertising in the long run.
For website owners, the cookie-free future is both promising and challenging. In this context, it's essential to properly manage consent according to the cookie policy and use platforms like Usercentrics to ensure regulatory compliance and respect for user privacy.
While site owners won't have to worry as much about cookie-related security issues, they will need to start changing the way they interact with users and ensure a consistent user experience.
For example, where most sites use session cookies to maintain login sessions, doing so will become increasingly insecure (and increasingly discouraged) in the cookie-free future. Alternatively, site owners should begin adopting first-party data strategies to leverage other (and more secure) personal identifiers.
Since advertisers primarily use third-party cookies to deliver targeted ads, digital marketing will see some of the biggest impacts of a cookieless future.
However, that's not necessarily a bad thing; if anything, it's a benefit. But how can it be when a cookie-free future virtually eliminates much of the data collected for marketing purposes?
The answer lies in staying on top of trends and cookie-free alternatives. While cookies have long been a trusted resource, they aren't the only reliable (or even the most secure) means of collecting user data. As we'll see later, many marketers will need to adopt first-party data strategies to maintain targeted ads, especially in the face of advanced ad blockers.
Of course, the impacts go beyond the adoption of alternatives. As the phasing out of cookies challenges many long-standing marketing strategies, marketing teams will also need to find ways to build their own data, build better relationships with exclusive advertisers, and better educate their organizations about cookie-free practices.
Although some major platforms like Google Chrome continue to delay the deprecation of third-party cookies, we are already in the transition phase. As a result, now is the best time for site owners, marketers, and businesses to prepare for a cookie-free future: