Google must address concerns raised by the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) before proceeding with third-party cookie deprecation. Failure to do so could delay the deprecation of third-party cookies from Chrome, planned for the second half of 2024.
The delay in third-party cookie deprecation could provide brands with additional time to explore alternatives. However, marketers should not assume a delay, as Google still has the opportunity to resolve these issues.
Google’s Privacy Sandbox is introduced as an alternative to third-party cookies, aiming to enable targeted advertising in Chrome while minimizing cross-site and cross-app tracking. According to Google’s Privacy Sandbox documentation, the initiative seeks to balance privacy protection with supporting digital businesses.
The CMA’s report outlines ongoing competition concerns regarding Google’s Privacy Sandbox, including potential advantages for Google in accessing user activity data and controlling the inclusion of ad tech rivals. Additionally, concerns are raised about the effectiveness of identifying fraudulent activity for publishers and advertisers.
The CMA is collaborating with Google to address these concerns and plans to provide an update on progress in its next quarterly report due at the end of April. While acknowledging Google’s progress in making competition fairer, the CMA emphasizes the need to resolve remaining concerns.
A spokesperson for the CMA highlights the focus on resolving competition concerns, particularly regarding the design and governance of the Privacy Sandbox tools, to prevent self-preference of Google’s advertising services.
Google remains committed to phasing out third-party cookies in the second half of 2024, contingent upon addressing any remaining competition concerns from the UK CMA. Despite challenges, Google expresses confidence in the industry’s ability to transition based on significant progress observed among leading companies.
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