Third-Party Cookies

Third-party cookies are cookies associated with a different website or site while a user visits a page. They often arose through embedded advertising, analytics, video, or social media content and could connect activity across multiple websites. The precise technical classification depends on browser rules and site context, not merely the name of a service provider.

Browsers increasingly restrict or block third-party cookies, although behaviour and timelines vary by product. Businesses should therefore not base reliable measurement or advertising solely on them. First-party data, server-side processes, or contextual advertising are not automatically exempt from consent; transparency, data minimisation, security, and legal basis still require assessment.

  • Different site context from the visited website
  • Often used for cross-site advertising and measurement
  • Increasingly restricted by browsers
  • Do not rely on them as the sole data strategy
  • Assess alternatives for privacy compliance too

Frequently asked questions

A third-party cookie belongs to a different site context from the website being visited and has often been used for cross-site measurement or advertising.

Depending on the goal, first-party data, contextual advertising, aggregated measurement, or browser APIs may help. No alternative is automatically privacy-compliant.
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