January 2024: Chrome trials blocking third-party cookies
Covers January 2024. Part of our search timeline: a month-by-month look at the changes that shaped SEO, AI search, paid ads and social media, written in November 2026 for local businesses with the benefit of hindsight.
Quick answer: In January 2024 Chrome began limiting third-party cookies for 1% of its users as a trial, while advertisers in the UK and Europe got ready for Google’s Consent Mode v2 requirement due in March. Between them, the two changes nudged businesses to sort out their consent set-up and first-party measurement.
This search timeline entry looks back at January 2024 from November 2026. If you run Google Ads for a local trade, such as an electrician or a removals firm, this was the month tracking stopped being something you could set and forget.
The changes that landed in January
Google kicked off its Tracking Protection test in Chrome, which restricted third-party cookies for a small slice of users. Alongside that, Google told advertisers reaching users in the UK and the European Economic Area that they needed Consent Mode v2 in place to carry on using personalised advertising features.
The impact on UK advertisers
UK businesses without a proper consent set-up were at risk of losing remarketing audiences and conversion modelling. Imagine a builder running ads to people who had already viewed their extensions page: without consent handled correctly, that audience could shrink.
It marked a shift towards seeing consent as part of how well your marketing performs, not only a legal box to tick.
What to check on your site now
- Set up Consent Mode v2 using a certified consent management platform.
- Confirm visitors’ consent choices are passed properly to your Google Ads and Analytics tags.
- Turn on enhanced conversions so consented first-party data improves your measurement.
Frequently asked questions
What does Consent Mode v2 actually do?
It’s the newer version of Google’s Consent Mode, with extra signals for ad personalisation and user data. UK and EEA advertisers need it to use certain features.
Did third-party cookies disappear from Chrome?
No. Google trialled restrictions, then announced in July 2024 that it would not remove them outright.
Sources and further reading
Want help with this? We can check your consent set-up and tracking so your ads are measured properly. See our analysis and measurement service. Get in touch.
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