The UK’s rival watchdog has said it has launched an investigation into Google’s plans to fix the ad data system, fearing it could give competitors in the online advertising industry even less space. The competition and Marketing Authority has announced that it has launched a formal investigation into Google’s suggestion to remove so-called third-party cookies from its popular chrome browser and chromium-browser engine.
User information such as login names is kept in the form of small texts known as cookies. Cookies are used to track users across the internet. Cookies fund free online content such as newspapers and help more effectively target advertising in business.
In 2022, As a part of the ‘digital sandbox’ third party cookies are replaced by its tools proposed by google. But these changes may affect the publishers, to make money as well as weaken digital ad competition, establish Google’s market power.
Publishers like newspapers and the digital advertising market have a significant impact on Google’s proposals. There are also privacy concerns to consider, “said CMA Chief Executive Andrea Coselli in a statement. The regulators will work with the UK privacy commissioner and interact with Google during the investigation, he said.
The world’s best dominant web browser is Chrome, the Google Chromium technology was also used by many others, such as Microsoft’s Edge. Based on a market survey done last year, this CMA commands more than 90% of the UK’s 7.3 billion pound search advertising markets.
Google ressed stated that no change has been made so far and that it is collaborating with the industries for a better solution.
The company noted that other browsers, such as Safari and Firefox, had already begun blocking 3rd – party cookies, that such moves could affect the ability of content creators’ newsrooms, web developers, and videographers to make money.
Creating a more personalized web, enabling publishers and advertisers to support a free and open Internet, the industries need to make big changes to their digital advertising style, the company said.
The CMA investigation comes after a complaint was received from Marketers for Open Web, an industry lobby group, that the changes would create a “wall garden” owned by Google and deny publishers access to cookies used to sell digital ads. Up to two-thirds of their income.
