Google’s Cookie Pivot Eases Ad Concerns, Fuels Privacy Dilemma

Nearly five years after Google announced plans to cut off its Chrome web browser from third-party tracking tools, the tech giant suddenly backtracked last week and in the process traded some antitrust scrutiny for a looming privacy battle.

Google meticulously documented its plan to phase out third-party trackers—also known as cookies and often used for targeted advertising—since 2020, publishing multiple blog posts and press statements emphasizing the company’s privacy priorities. But as early as 2021, Google’s idea was also flagged by antitrust regulators in the UK who worried that the change could stifle competition in digital advertising markets.

Now, Google’s ...