Cookieless world, a world without cookies. Simple explained :)
January 2026 update (full content revision)
Cookieless world: a (nearly) cookie-free world explained simply
This article analyzes how the cookieless world is changing marketing, measurement and advertising, with a focus on first-party data, privacy, CRM and server-side infrastructures.
The “cookieless world” is not an ON/OFF switch. It is a transition: more tracking restrictions, more fragmentation across browsers and platforms, and much greater weight placed on first-party data, consent-based measurement and server-side architectures.
If you still rely on third-party cookies as the foundation for targeting and attribution, in 2026 the risk is not “losing a bit of performance”: it is losing control.
January 2026 update: what has really changed
Since 2021, Safari and Firefox have continued to strongly limit cross-site tracking. Apple, with App Tracking Transparency (ATT), has made opt-in for tracking within apps structural: most users choose “no,” so IDFA and mobile advertising tracking have lost coverage.
At Google, the story has been more complex: after years of announcements, tests and delays, Chrome has not definitively “turned off” third-party cookies for all users. The operational point, however, does not change: between progressive restrictions, consent, ad blockers, alternative browsers (such as Brave) and higher privacy expectations, relying on third-party cookies as before is becoming increasingly unsustainable.
Translated: there is no need to wait for an “official date.” What is needed is to make data, measurement and activation robust today.
Who will suffer the most from the “cookieless world”?
As the web moves toward fewer third-party cookies, the impact will not be the same for everyone: some businesses will lose effectiveness far more quickly than others.
It is becoming increasingly important to build a broad and reliable container of first-party data.
Who suffers most in this scenario? Often small ecommerce businesses and organizations with little owned traffic.
Large players (marketplaces and retailers with huge volumes) have a wealth of first-party data that allows segmentation and activation with less reliance on third-party cookies.
Smaller businesses, instead, have historically used third-party signals to:
find new “similar” users, fuel performance automations, and scale campaigns with limited budgets.
Here the role of agencies becomes concrete: helping enhance first-party data, strengthen measurement, and build realistic alternatives.
- Reduced targeting effectiveness: fewer granular cross-site signals make it harder to reach the right audience with the same precision as before.
- Difficulty measuring effectiveness: attribution and conversion tracking become more complex without a robust server-side and consent-based foundation.
- Rising acquisition costs: more competition for the same remaining signals can push CPC/CPA higher unless data quality and creative performance improve.
In a more restrictive web, the real difference is not made by those who collect the most data,
but by those who know how to govern it best.
The role of CRMs (and offline data)
How can the situation improve in a world with fewer cookies?
By enhancing the data a company already owns: offline (CRM, loyalty cards, sales, customer care) and online (analytics, events, leads, logins, preferences).
CRM (Customer Relationship Management) is both a strategy and a system for managing relationships and interactions with prospective and existing customers.
A CRM helps stay in touch with customers, streamline processes and improve profitability.
By improving data collection and quality in the CRM (and segmenting it properly), it can be used more effectively in online marketing and reduce dependence on third-party signals.
This logic becomes even more effective if CRM data is correctly connected to measurement and advertising platforms (in a consent- and policy-compliant way).
But data collection must also improve within analytics systems.
First-party data becomes fundamental, and server-side tracking is one of the first practical steps toward building a more robust ecosystem.
Will small businesses survive without cookies?
If you do not have large user bases, or are not organized to leverage CRM or loyalty users, how can you advertise sustainably?
Relying solely on the platforms’ AI and ML is not enough to close the gap with those that have massive volumes and better segmentation: platforms “optimize,” but they optimize based on the signals they receive.
If the signal is weak or noisy, optimization accelerates in the wrong direction.
UID (universal ID) and similar solutions can help in some contexts, but they are not a magic wand: they depend on real adoption, consent, coverage and cross-environment compatibility.
From FLoC to Privacy Sandbox proposals: what happened
Over the years, several alternatives to third-party cookies have been proposed.
The most famous was FLoC (Federated Learning of Cohorts), based on aggregated interest groups.
Due to regulatory implications and criticism around privacy and competition, Google later withdrew FLoC and pursued other proposals within the Privacy Sandbox initiative.
In general, the idea that privacy is, and is only, the absence of cross-site tracking, is wrong
The key point is this: privacy is not just “no third-party cookies.”
It is also: “not sharing with others what you know about me without my permission.”
And for companies, the practical consequence is clear: you need a data and measurement model that holds up even when third-party signals shrink or become unstable.
In short: privacy is not the end of measurement,
but a constraint that forces data, consent and architecture to be designed more robustly.
Privacy Sandbox
The Privacy Sandbox initiative was created to develop technologies that improve privacy on the web and Android, offering more privacy-preserving alternatives to some historical tracking practices.
Over time, it has remained an evolving process, with proposals, tests, discussions and roadmap changes.
For marketers, the useful takeaway is this: regardless of the “Sandbox” label, the direction is clear.
Less invisible tracking, more user control, greater reliance on first-party data and measurement based on consent, modeling and server-side infrastructures.
In the European context, where GDPR and privacy regulations are central,
the reduction of third-party cookies accelerates a path already underway:
more user control, more corporate responsibility,
and less dependence on unstable external signals.
Google Protected Audience API (formerly FLEDGE)
A key proposal to emerge from the Privacy Sandbox ecosystem is the Protected Audience API (previously known as FLEDGE).
The idea is to support use cases such as remarketing and custom audiences while reducing the need to share cross-site data via third-party cookies.
In short: the browser can manage interest groups and participate in on-device auctions for ad selection, with logic designed to limit third-party tracking.
For advertisers, this means rethinking the supply chain: remarketing does not “disappear,” but the way it is implemented and measured changes.
So what should be done as soon as possible?
The first step is not switching platforms, but conducting a serious assessment of the current situation and understanding where the fragile points are.
Then corrective actions and priorities are defined, because the biggest risk is moving “feature-by-feature” instead of focusing on impact.
- first-party data (quality, coverage, consent, identity)
- third-party data (where they are really used and how much they weigh)
- profiling and audiences in use (remarketing, lookalikes, DCO, frequency capping)
- tools in use (CMP, tag manager, analytics, CRM, CDP, server-side)
- what risks breaking (measurement, attribution, audiences, reporting)
Then comes execution: improve first-party data collection, fix consent and tracking, move key events server-side,
build measurement that includes modeling and owned signals, and update media tactics (better creative quality, more proprietary segments, more testing).
The cookie revolution started years ago. In 2026, the difference will not be made by “those waiting for the next Chrome change,” but by those who build a measurable, governable and compliant system.
It is an opportunity: to emerge stronger and more independent from fragile signals.
In the cookieless world, winners are not those chasing the latest feature, but those who build a truly governable data, consent and measurement system.
FAQ about the cookieless world
What is the difference between first- and third-party cookies?
First-party cookies operate on the same domain the user is visiting (e.g., cart, preferences). Third-party cookies operate on different domains and historically enabled cross-site tracking and profiling.
Is the cookieless world already a reality?
Yes, in practice it already is: Safari and Firefox have long limited tracking, many people use ad blockers, and on mobile opt-in rates for tracking are low. Even when cookies do not fully “disappear,” their operational reliability decreases.
What happens to remarketing and lookalikes?
It is not “the end of remarketing,” but a change in implementation and coverage. Strategies work best when they start from first-party data, solid events and server-side measurement rather than fragile third-party signals.
What is the first thing to do in a company?
Assessment: understand where third-party cookies really matter (targeting, attribution, reporting). Then priorities: consent/CMP, server-side tracking, event quality and CRM/first-party integration.
Is server-side tracking really needed?
It is needed when you want more stable measurement and greater control over data collection (always respecting consent and policies). It is not a shortcut: it is a more robust architecture for events and conversions in a more restrictive world.
How do I measure conversions without third parties?
With a mix: well-designed first-party events, server-side, owned signals (CRM/leads/sales), and modeling. The goal is not to “measure everything perfectly,” but to measure in a coherent and decision-useful way.
Are SMEs disadvantaged?
They can be if they do not build a strong first-party data asset and robust measurement. But they can gain an advantage if they properly set up tracking, proprietary segmentation, creative quality and media strategies less dependent on third parties.
Does Privacy Sandbox solve everything?
No. It is a set of proposals and technologies, but the direction remains: more privacy, less invisible tracking. The foundation for companies is still building owned data, consent, architecture and solid measurement.
Bibliographic references and further reading
The contents of this article are based on official documentation, industry research and authoritative contributions on privacy, measurement, first-party data and advertising in cookieless contexts.
Apple. App Tracking Transparency (ATT).
Official documentation on the tracking consent framework introduced in iOS.
https://developer.apple.com/app-store/user-privacy-and-data-use/
Google. Privacy Sandbox.
Google’s initiative to develop advertising and measurement technologies that are more privacy-respectful on web and Android.
https://privacysandbox.com/
Google Developers. Protected Audience API.
Technical documentation for the API (formerly FLEDGE) for audiences and remarketing in privacy-first environments. https://developers.google.com/privacy-sandbox/private-advertising/protected-audience
European Union. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
European regulation on personal data protection, a central reference for any tracking and profiling strategy. https://gdpr.eu/
Mozilla. Enhanced Tracking Protection.
Firefox’s approach to cross-site tracking protection and third-party cookies.
https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/enhanced-tracking-protection-firefox-desktop
HT&T Consulting – Magazine.
Related insights:
Server-side tracking and data analysis,
Marketing trends 2026.
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