Reuters Google is planning to keep thirdparty cookies in its Chrome browser, it said on Monday, after years of pledging to phase out the tiny packets of code meant to track users on the internet.

The major reversal follows concerns from advertisers the company39;s biggest source of income saying the loss of cookies in the world39;s most popular browser will limit their ability to collect information for personalizing ads, making them dependent on Google39;s user databases.

The UK39;s Competition and Markets Authority had also scrutinized Google39;s plan over concerns it would impede competition in digital advertising.

Instead of deprecating thirdparty cookies, we would introduce a new experience in Chrome that lets people make an informed choice that applies across their web browsing, and they39;d be able to adjust that choice at any time, Anthony Chavez, vice president of the Googlebacked Privacy Sandbox initiative, said in a blog post.

Since 2019, the Alphabet unit has been working on the Privacy Sandbox initiative aimed at enhancing online privacy while supporting digital businesses, with a key goal being the phaseout of thirdparty cookies.

Cookies are packets of information that allow websites and advertisers to identify individual web surfers and track their browsing habits, but they can also be used for unwanted surveillance.

In the European Union, the use of cookies is governed by the General Data Protection Regulation GDPR, which stipulates that…