In November 2019, Pew Research found that the majority of Americans think that their personal data is insecure, that data collection poses more risks than benefits, and believe it is not possible to go through daily life without being tracked. Since that time, there has been increased scrutiny by consumers, research, and regulators around tracking in the digital ecosystem.

As a result, an increasing number of organizations have begun to examine their use of cookies for tracking. In particular, a number of browsers are phasing out the use of cookies, and have disabled “default consent” around the placement of cookies by consumers. Here is a timeline of the major announcements regarding cookie deprecation and the elimination of default tracking.

Google Chrome

July 23, 2024 | Google gives up trying to eliminate cookies

July 22, 2024 | After years of uncertainty, Google says it won’t be ‘deprecating third-party cookies’ in Chrome

April 23, 2024 | Google Delays Cookie Phase-Out Following Regulatory Pushback

April 23, 2024 | Google delays third-party cookie demise yet again

January 16, 2024 | Digiday’s definitive, if not exhaustive, 2024 Google Chrome third-party cookie deprecation glossary

January 4 2024 | Google Chrome’s Cookie Phase-Out: What You Need to Know

July 20, 2023 | Google will switch on its cookie-replacing tools for Chrome developers next week

April 11, 2023 | Inside Google’s Plan to Kill the Cookie

July 27, 2022 | Google delays when Chrome will phase out third-party cookies to 2024

January 25, 2022 | Google introduces a new system for tracking Chrome browser users.

June 24, 2021 | An updated timeline for Privacy Sandbox milestones

Mar 03, 2021 | Charting a course towards a more privacy-first web

January 25, 2021 | Building a privacy-first future for web advertising

January 14, 2020 | Building a more private web: A path towards making third party cookies obsolete

September 3, 2019 | Today’s Firefox Blocks Third-Party Tracking Cookies and Cryptomining by Default

August 22, 2019 | Building a more private web

May 7, 2019 | Improving privacy and security on the web

Apple iOS/ Safari

June 10, 2022 | Apple’s Lack Of New Anti-Tracking Rules Leaves Advertisers ‘Shocked’

April 29, 2022 | The winners and losers of Apple’s anti-tracking feature

September 1, 2021 | This fall, tech companies will try to push private browsing into the mainstream

June 7, 2021 | Apple advances its privacy leadership with iOS 15, iPadOS 15, macOS Monterey, and watchOS 8

January 27, 2021| Data Privacy Day at Apple: Improving transparency and empowering users

Mozilla Firefox

December 13, 2022 | Firefox Now Offers Universal Opt-Out Tool

June 1, 2021 | Firefox 89 blocks cross-site cookie tracking by default in private browsing

February 23, 2021| Firefox 86 Introduces Total Cookie Protection

January 26, 2021 | Firefox 85 Cracks Down on Supercookies

August 4, 2020 | Firefox 79 includes protections against redirect tracking

June 4, 2019 | When it comes to privacy, default settings matter!

January 28, 2019 | Defining the tracking practices that will be blocked in Firefox

October 23, 2018 | Firefox 63 Lets Users Block Tracking Cookies