The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) has strongly objected to Google’s recent decision to continue using third-party cookies. The W3C has updated its guidelines to say that these cookies should be completely removed from the web due to their negative impact on privacy. Third-party cookies track user activity across many websites. While they have useful functions, such as enabling logins and adding items to shopping carts, they also track users without their knowledge. Such tracking raises significant privacy concerns, as it allows companies to secretly collect personal data. This violation of privacy affects everyone who uses the Internet.

The W3C is not alone in its concerns. The updated official document defining cookies also mentions privacy issues with third-party cookies. This suggests that web resources cannot rely on these cookies being treated the same way by different browsers in the future. Privacy advocates and regulatory bodies, such as the UK Information Commissioner’s Office, have also called for third-party cookies to be blocked. Organizations such as Privacy International have pointed out that data collected from tracking could be used for microtargeting political messages, which could negatively impact society.

As the main organization responsible for the structure of the web, the W3C looks at both the overall picture and the specific details of web technologies. They work together with developers to ensure that new technologies do not cause problems in the future. For several years, the W3C has been working with Google’s Chrome Privacy Sandbox team and others in the web community to find better solutions than third-party cookies.

However, Google’s recent decision to retain third-party cookies came as a surprise to the W3C and has hampered their efforts. The W3C expressed disappointment, saying that this move undermines the progress made to improve web privacy without relying on these cookies. They fear that this decision will delay efforts to find effective alternatives, which will ultimately harm web privacy in the long run.

Despite this setback, the W3C remains committed to the goal of removing third-party cookies. They will continue to support those working to make the web a better place and hope that all browsers and user agents will cooperate to enhance web privacy. The organization believes that removing third-party cookies is essential to the future of web privacy and user trust.

The W3C’s message to Google is clear: reversing the decision to keep third-party cookies is critical. The organization is dedicated to making the web better than ever and urges all stakeholders to prioritize removing third-party cookies for a safer, more private online experience.