Google has unexpectedly reversed its plan to eliminate cookies from its Chrome web browser, halting four years of efforts to phase out a technology crucial for tracking users online.

Cookies are small pieces of data that websites store on a user’s device to track and remember information about the user’s visit. Cookies serve various purposes, including enhancing the user experience and enabling certain website functionalities. Google had aimed to retire third-party cookies as part of its Privacy Sandbox initiative, however this proposal had sparked concerns in the online advertising industry about potential reductions in competitive space for ad rivals.

In a blog post on Monday, Google announced its decision to abandon the plan after evaluating the potential impact on publishers, advertisers, and all stakeholders involved in online advertising.

“We will introduce a new experience in Chrome that allows users to make an informed choice across their web browsing, with the ability to adjust that choice at any time,” said Anthony Chavez, vice president of Privacy Sandbox, in the post. “We are discussing this new direction with regulators and will engage with the industry as we roll this out.”

Advertisers rely on cookies to target ads to web users, but privacy advocates argue that cookies can be used to track users across the internet. Google said that it was reversing course partly because of the feedback it has collected from concerned advertisers.

“This feedback has helped us craft solutions that aim to support a competitive and thriving marketplace that works for publishers and advertisers, and encourage the adoption of privacy-enhancing technologies,” Chavez wrote. “Instead of deprecating third-party cookies, we would introduce a new experience in Chrome that lets people make an informed choice that applies across their web browsing, and they’d be able to adjust that choice at any time.”

Google first proposed eliminating cookies in 2020, but the timeline for completing the project had been extended multiple times. Chrome, the world’s leading web browser, serves as the foundation for several others, including Microsoft’s Edge, which is based on Google’s Chromium technology. Staying compatible with Chrome is vital for web developers given its dominant market share, which sits at more than 65% of browsers as of last month.

By reversing its decision, Google aims to balance its need to appear privacy-conscious to users with the needs of the online advertising industry by offering more control over privacy settings while maintaining the functionality critical for businesses that rely on targeted advertising.