Google Chrome, widely regarded as the leading browser across various platforms, has been undergoing significant updates in recent times to enhance user personalization. The latest development involves the introduction of granular control over third-party cookies, allowing users to temporarily disable them through a new switch on Chrome Canary 117 for desktop.
In addition to the ability to enable or disable specific features outright, Google Chrome offers the flexibility to toggle them on or off temporarily. A recently discovered in-development feature on Chrome Canary, brought to light by the respected Chrome feature researcher and Android Police reader, @Leopeva64 on Twitter, allows users to temporarily disable the blocking of third-party cookies.
Chrome’s “Third-party cookie blocking” dialog will be revamped, there will be a toggle to (temporarily) enable cookies if the site isn’t working properly:https://t.co/MQBZRrw16j
. pic.twitter.com/PWQZlkZxNk— Leopeva64 (@Leopeva64) July 18, 2023
Certain websites require essential cookies to function optimally, and the temporary enabling of third-party cookies can help resolve issues that may have been causing website malfunctions. Moreover, a temporary switch for disabling these browsing activity trackers can greatly benefit individuals who may occasionally forget to reactivate the blocking feature.
The accompanying dialog for this new feature explains how enabling cookies can rectify broken sites. Once activated, the toggle specifies that Chrome will resume blocking cookies after a generous 90-day period, ensuring that users do not have to frequently operate the switch, even on frequently visited web pages.
We eagerly anticipate the integration of this new cookie setting into the stable Chrome 117 channel. While cookies are often associated with excessive activity tracking and are generally considered undesirable, it is worth noting that they are essential for the proper functioning of certain websites. As the negative perception around cookies persists, it would be advantageous for Chrome developers to allow users to define the duration for which cookies remain temporarily enabled. However, it is prudent to proceed with caution and prioritize incremental steps in this regard.