Privacy Advocates Criticize Google for Not Allowing Cookies to be Blocked

After promising to offer tools to let users limit “cookies,” tiny files that help Internet and advertising companies track users, Alphabet Inc.’s Google suggested it won’t go any further, saying in a blog post that blocking cookies entirely could be counterproductive for user privacy. The post has drawn criticism in recent days from some privacy advocates who say Google’s Chrome internet browser should catch up to the stricter practices of rivals Firefox and Safari.