Google is abandoning plans to remove third-party advertising cookies from its Chrome web browser, about five years after launching a program that looked at ways to implement the process.

The tech giant’s Privacy Sandbox was launched in 2019 to find new ways to improve online privacy by restricting cookies – small online pieces of data used by advertisers to present people with targeted ads across the internet.

But in a blog post published Monday evening, Anthony Chavez, vice president of Privacy Sandbox, said that while the program’s work has shown signs of success, it also “requires significant work from many participants and will have implications for publishers, advertisers and everyone involved in online advertising.”

He confirmed that Google is therefore changing its approach towards an opt-in system that “expands user choice”.

“Instead of rejecting third-party cookies, we would introduce a new experience in Chrome that allows people to make an informed choice that applies to all their browsing behavior, and they could adjust that choice at any time,” he said.

“We are discussing this new path with regulators and will work with the industry on its implementation.”

Google has worked particularly closely with regulators in the UK on this programme, including the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) and the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).

In response to Google’s announcement of a change in approach, a CMA spokesperson said: “We have stepped in and made commitments in 2022 because we were concerned that Google’s Privacy Sandbox proposals could distort competition by causing advertising spend to become even more concentrated in Google’s ecosystem at the expense of competitors.”

“We need to carefully review Google’s new approach to Privacy Sandbox, working closely with the ICO. We welcome views on Google’s revised approach – including potential impacts on consumers and market outcomes.”

Stephen Bonner, Assistant Commissioner at the ICO, said: “We are disappointed that Google has changed its plans and no longer intends to discard third-party cookies in the Chrome browser.

“Since the launch of Google’s Sandbox project in 2019, we have believed that blocking third-party cookies would be a positive step for consumers.

“Google’s new plan represents a significant change and we will reflect on this new approach as more details become available.

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“Our commitment to supporting the creation of a more privacy-friendly internet remains. Despite Google’s decision, we continue to encourage the digital advertising industry to move to more private alternatives to third-party cookies – rather than resorting to more opaque forms of tracking.

“We will monitor the industry’s response and consider regulatory action if systematic violations are found across all companies, including Google.”