How Europeans Deal With Cookie Controls

Google has started to roll out a new feature on its Chrome browser called Tracking Protection. This will enable users to switch off third-party cookies and to restrict data shared online for personalized advertising.

According to a recent survey by Eurostat, cookie skepticism is particularly high in Finland, where around two thirds of respondents have already tried preventing or restricting cookies using their browser settings. In Italy, the topic appears to be less of a common concern, with the figure at only around one in four.

Cookies are small text files that can be stored in a user's internet browser via a website. These can be set by website operators or third parties (i.e. so-called third-party cookies) and are often used by advertisers to personalize ads.

Last week, the company introduced tracking protection for one percent of all Chrome users worldwide, with plans to make the feature available to everyone in the second half of 2024. Google Chrome is now the most used web browser in the world.