After years of plans for a phase-out, Google announced it is planning to keep user-tracking cookies deployed to its Chrome internet browser.

"Instead of deprecating third-party cookies, we would introduce a new experience in Chrome that lets people make an informed choice that applies across their web browsing, and they'd be able to adjust that choice at any time," Anthony Chavez, vice president of the Google-backed Privacy Sandbox initiative, said in a blog post on Monday.

"We're discussing this new path with regulators, and will engage with the industry as we roll this out," he added.

Cookies are small pieces of code that collect information from people who use its Chrome browser. The function has fueled much of the digital advertising ecosystem that allows websites to track users to target ads.

Google's plan to remove cookies

Google had first announced plans to phase out so-called third-party cookies in 2020.

The plan sparked concerns from advertisers, who said it would hamper their ability to collect user data for personalized ads and would make them reliant on Google's user databases.

The UK's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) had said the plan would hinder competition. 

Chavez said they were working with the CMA as well as website publishers and data privacy groups for a new approach on the topic.

Google launches initiative to find solution to protect user privacy

Google's parent company, Alphabet, launched its "Privacy Sandbox" initiative to support online advertising whilst enhancing data privacy.

The European Union's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) has website publishers obtain explicit consent from users to store their cookies. The move drew mixed reactions.

Some believe cookies can be detrimental to consumers. "Google's decision to continue allowing third-party cookies, despite other major browsers blocking them for years, is a direct consequence of their advertising-driven business model," Lena Cohen, staff technologist at the Electronic Frontier Foundation, told Reuters news agency.

Some of Google's competitors such as Apple and Mozilla block third-party cookies by default for their respective browsers Safari and Firefox. Cookies can be activated by users on each of those internet browsers.

tg/rm (dpa, Reuters)