Large tech companies such as Google are moving to block third party cookies from their systems. The improvements in network visibility and cybersecurity that this change will bring may be worth the lost data. But how will it change the way we operate our businesses? It may impact how we are able to use big data and analytics in marketing tasks. It may also create a strong impact on cybersecurity, an aspect of IT management that already faces many challenges.
What are Third Party Cookies?
Third party cookies are cookies that are not stored directly by web servers, but stored in a different domain than you are visiting. They are used to track user’s journeys to enable tracking of user behavior and target advertising. These differ from First Party Cookies which are used directly by websites to remember pages visited, preferences, and shopping carts.
Unlike first party cookies which memorize your actions on a website internally, third party cookies tend to follow you around. This is why if you were to go to a travel site and search around for hotels, flights etc. to a specific location, you may start seeing ads pop up on other sites that may completely unrelated (whether you booked a trip or not.)
Another good example of how we come across these cookies is a chat room. Unless developed internally by the owners of the website, often times those support chat functions you see pop up on certain sites are add-ons through a third party. They come in many forms and they are all used as separate domains to collect information on what you do on said website.
How Third Party Cookie Phase Out Impacts Cybersecurity
There has been a growing distrust of third-party cookies from the average consumer. These cookies do after all hold private information on websites that may involve money transactions or medical information. For large and populated websites, these can be viewed as an avenue for a breach in private information.
Google originally decided to phase out third party cookies in 2022. However, regulatory pressure has caused the tech giant to delay this process for another year until 2023. It will be consulting with government agencies to perfect its process. This delay gives other tech businesses a chance to figure out how to work with this change. It gives them the chance to understand how phasing out third party cookies will change cybersecurity. We all know hackers and fraudsters never stop engineering ways to attack.
This change is following trends already in existence. Mozilla’s Firefox browser and Apple’s Safari browser already block third party cookies by default. Consumers see this as a chance to protect privacy. However, third party cookies also give options to cap how often someone sees an ad. This type of info stops companies from spending a lot of money on one prospect.
New Profiling Systems to Take Over for Third Party Cookies
Unlike Firefox and Safari, Chrome will go from having third party cookies to its own profiling system. As with so many issues with Google, this change will provide options for businesses for a price. The tech giant estimates that their new system will be at least 95% as effective as individual targeting. This makes the loss of third party cookies easier for marketing pros. However, it may still open up new vulnerabilities in cybersecurity.
Adobe is also making software to take the place of third party cookies. Unlike many third party cookies, it asks customers to share their data. This isn’t much different than the European Union’s requirement of a disclaimer asking to collect user data. However, it makes the switch from third party to first party collection for use. A software system may be a slightly more complex way of collecting data but you receive the information directly and are more transparent with consumers.
First party access seems to be the future for this subject. As a positive, this allows you to drastically adapt the cookie tools you use on your website to your company’s needs. Instead of getting cookie-cutter data from a third party tool, you’ll be able to get the exact data you want from your website. This improves network visibility across a range of metrics, allowing you to improve your response to customer and client concerns.
Getting Ahead of the Change
If you’re considering making a switch from third-party cookies on your website, you’re not alone. A lot of companies are making these changes. By staying on top of changes that are happening, you can see which ones are working and which ones are causing more problems than they are worth. If you’re not certain whether specific changes will be worth the hassle, contacting a qualified technical consulting company can help you find the answers you need.