Pro Alpha Investment Insights
Cookiepocalypse? More Like Cookie Resurgence.
The Great Cookie Panic of '25
The internet's been buzzing about the "Cookiepocalypse" for what feels like a decade. The death of the third-party cookie, heralded as a privacy revolution, was supposed to fundamentally reshape the digital advertising landscape. But looking at the cookie notices from Versant Media LLC, published just this week, it's hard to see the revolution. (And believe me, I've looked.)
Let's be clear: the *idea* behind the Cookiepocalypse is sound. For years, third-party cookies have allowed advertisers to track users across the web, building detailed profiles and serving up increasingly personalized ads. The promise was a more relevant user experience; the reality was often creepy and intrusive.
But the reality is that the cookie notices themselves are still here. Versant Media LLC, along with its affiliates, including advertisers and vendors, use cookies and similar tracking technologies on their websites, applications, and other online services (the “Services”).
The notices go on to explain, in excruciating detail, how these cookies are used. Strictly Necessary cookies, Information Storage and Access cookies, Measurement and Analytics cookies, Personalization cookies, Content Selection and Delivery cookies, Ad Selection and Delivery cookies, and Social Media cookies. It's a veritable buffet of tracking technologies, all designed to gather data about your online behavior.
Cookie Notices: A Façade of Control?
The Illusion of Choice
The cookie notices offer users a semblance of control. You can adjust your cookie preferences, disable cookies through your browser settings, or manage the collection of information through mobile device settings. But let's be honest: how many people actually bother with this? It's buried in the footer of websites, hidden behind layers of menus, and requires a level of technical savvy that most users simply don't possess.
What's more, even if you *do* manage to disable third-party cookies, you're still being tracked. First-party cookies, which are set by the website you're visiting directly, remain active. These cookies can still be used to collect data about your browsing habits, personalize your experience, and serve up targeted ads. The only change is that the data is siloed within a single website, rather than shared across the entire web.
And that's the crux of the issue. The Cookiepocalypse was supposed to eliminate tracking altogether. Instead, it's simply shifted the balance of power from third-party advertisers to first-party website owners. Companies like Google, Amazon, and Facebook, which control vast amounts of first-party data, are now even more dominant than before. According to Alphabet hits record highs, Burry’s AI concerns, Ukraine peace plan and more in Morning Squawk, this shift has led to record highs for some tech companies.
I've looked at hundreds of these cookie policies (it's a hazard of the job), and this one from Versant Media is fairly standard. It's a dense, legalistic document that few people will actually read, let alone understand. The language is carefully crafted to comply with privacy regulations, while simultaneously maximizing the company's ability to collect and use your data.
The Phony War Rages On
So, is the Cookiepocalypse a failure? Not entirely. It's raised awareness about online privacy and forced companies to be more transparent about their data collection practices. But it hasn't fundamentally changed the way the internet works. Tracking is still pervasive, personalization is still rampant, and the promise of a truly private web remains elusive. It's more of a strategic retreat than a full-blown revolution. The advertising industry has simply adapted, finding new ways to track users and target ads. And the data keeps flowing.
So, What's the Real Story?
The "Cookiepocalypse" was more hype than substance.
