- By Alex David
- Tue, 21 Oct 2025 01:10 AM (IST)
- Source:JND
Google recently confirmed its long-running Privacy Sandbox initiative would come to an end, dealing a blow against privacy-focused web browsing and leaving over 3 billion Chrome users uncertain as they continue browsing online.
The Death of Privacy Sandbox
Launched six years ago, the Privacy Sandbox was Google’s attempt to phase out tracking cookies while balancing user privacy, advertisers’ needs, and regulatory requirements. The project never achieved that balance, and now Google has announced that all related privacy initiatives are being retired.
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AdWeek reports that Google stated, “the entire project is being retired,” signalling a decisive shift away from privacy-first measures in Chrome. The move comes just months after Google had reinforced that tracking remains a key part of the web ecosystem and that no viable alternatives were yet in place.
Initiatives Being Retired
The Privacy Sandbox provided multiple technologies designed to safeguard privacy; all are now being phased out due to low adoption. Key components include:
- Attribution Reporting API
- IP Protection
- On-Device Personalization
- Private Aggregation
- Protected Audience & App Signals
- Related Website Sets
- SelectURL
- SDK Runtime
- Topics API
In short, almost the entire Privacy Sandbox suite is being discontinued.
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What This Means for Users
With the Privacy Sandbox gone, Chrome users can expect fewer privacy protections by default, while advertisers retain extensive tracking capabilities. Safari and other browsers may gain a relative advantage for users seeking more privacy-centric browsing.
The decision marks a major pivot for Google, moving away from privacy experimentation toward a more conventional ad-tracking model – a move likely to impact both consumer trust and regulatory scrutiny in the years ahead.