Google’s delayed cookie cull is an inevitable intermission to its fractious pursuit of privacy protections

Why has Google’s plan for life after the cookie been delayed by almost two years? A delay was inevitable. “When interrogated, it became clear that Google’s proposals raised more questions than answers, with holes of mistrust appearing,” said Paul Lowrey, head of advertising strategy, insight, and marketing at ad tech company Azerion. Read more below.

• What started as a ragged pursuit ended up as a rout, with Google finally giving the third-party cookie a stay of execution to buy itself more time to find suitable replacements in its Privacy Sandbox.
• Google's decision has agency execs mulling more ways to create testing control groups, though test budgets might shift.
• BuzzFeed is coming for digital media companies, fueled by a SPAC IPO and the acquisition of Complex Networks.
• Vice TV has grown up alongside the publishing brand — moving further away from strictly cannabis content to explainer coverage, including limited series and documentaries.
• Mozilla’s browser extension is designed to facilitate research into social and digital media that platforms have historically not permitted researchers to conduct.
• Media Cause, a full-service digital and creative shop, has a program in which fellows are paid $20 per hour to gain experience working for clients that will hopefully lead to a full-time job.