Google’s ultimate intention is to ditch third-party cookies in its Chrome web browser in favour of its own “privacy sandbox”. Traditional third-party cookies allow advertisers to track individuals across the websites they visit in order to serve them personalised ads outside of Google’s ecosystem.
The UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has expressed concern that the move could distort the market and said it secured commitments from Google that its new privacy sandbox proposals will not favour its in-house advertising platform over rival firms.
Nevertheless, Google has shifted the date for the introduction of the new sandbox from January 2022 to late 2023, assuming the CMA signs off on the proposals.
“We need to move at a responsible pace, allowing sufficient time for public discussion on the right solutions and for publishers and the advertising industry to migrate their services,” Vinay Goel, privacy engineering director for Chrome, wrote...