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| Google pledges greater oversight of the Privacy Sandbox |
Google has promised more limits on the use of data by its web browsers to address the UK competition authority's concerns about its so-called Privacy Shield programme, which aims to prevent advertisers from using cookies to track consumers.
Since the beginning of this year, the competition and market regulator has been investigating Google's plans to stop supporting some cookies in its browsers, as they fear it could hinder competition in digital advertising.
This can focus ad spend on Google, hurting consumers who pay for ads.
The company said that its users want more privacy while browsing the Internet, including the fact that they are not tracked across multiple websites.
However, other participants in the $250 billion global digital advertising industry said the loss of cookies in the world's most popular browser limits their ability to collect information in order to personalize ads and make them look better, depending on Google's user database.
The search giant agreed earlier this year not to implement the plan without the approval of the Competition and Marketing Authority. She said the changes agreed with UK regulators would apply worldwide.
The competition and market regulator said Google had successfully resolved a number of open issues, including commitments related to:
- Reduce access to IP addresses.
- Clarify the internal limits of the data you can use.
- Troubleshoot any feature or information removal issue before making changes to the privacy sandbox.
- Providing additional security to third parties that develop alternative technologies.
- Improve reporting and compliance regulations by appointing regulators approved by the competition and market regulator.
- Encourage its employees not to submit complaints that conflict with their obligations towards customers.
- Keep French competition and market authorities informed of how Google evaluates third party opinions.
- In the company's main communication, be sure to mention the role of competition and market regulator and how it works on an ongoing basis.
Google wants to restrict cookies
"We have always made clear that Google's efforts to protect users' privacy should not come at the expense of competition," said Andrea Coselli, CEO of the Competition and Market Authority.
"If our Compliance is approved by Google, it will be legally binding," he added. This strengthens competition in the digital market. It also helps protect the ability of publishers like newspapers to generate revenue and produce valuable content in the future as well.
The company said in a blog post that its presentation was aimed at ensuring that the Privacy Shield is designed to be compatible with the entire ecosystem.
At the same time, the Competition and Market Supervisory Authority announced that it will negotiate new commitments by December 17. If the promise is accepted, the commission's investigation will stop. This has also led to the transition to the next stage of this monitoring by the authorities.