Created in 1994, cookies are far from being just cookies, in their literal translation from English. In fact, the name was taken from an American slang term for stereotypes, or people of a certain type. And it fit perfectly with the codes that have the function of shaping a specific user profile.
Ultimately, they represent all the data collected on websites . This way, brands get to know their users better and seek to improve the browsing and purchasing experience.
However, in January 2020, Google announced the end of cookies . As of 2022, its browser would no longer support third-party cookies. This goal ended up being postponed to 2023 to allow more time for adaptations and the creation of alternatives.
After all, cookies store a huge amount of information. Bank details, for example, are kept safe, but addresses, passwords and logins are stored. They also store interactions made on social networks, choices, preferences, language – in short, a lot of registration data and settings.
For example, they prevent us from having to enter the same singapore whatsapp data password and login every time we return to a certain page. They also prevent us from seeing the same ad repeatedly or show us the most relevant advertising.
In other words, over the past 22 years, the information collected has been invaluable for companies and digital marketing strategies . The end of cookies is, in fact, the end of an era.
And what about digital marketing in the post-cookie world?
It's easy to imagine that a real race is already underway to find one or more alternatives. One of them is an initiative by Google itself, FLoC (Federated Learning of Cohorts).
Google's new tracking system is a technology that groups people into "cohorts" based on their browsing history. The solution is aimed at advertising to specific groups, but without accessing users' private data.
The program is part of Google’s Privacy Sandbox initiative, designed to make the internet a safer place for users. FLoC doesn’t track individuals, but rather places users into highly specific groups based on interest criteria. The idea is to hide individual information from the crowd.
But the system is still in the testing phase and despite having been developed as an alternative to third-party cookies, it is already receiving negative reviews.
For many experts, FLoC is the worst thing that has happened in the industry in recent times, and it could cause problems especially when online searches involve sensitive subjects, such as certain health conditions, domestic violence, etc.