
German media companies want the European Union to prevent Google from removing third-party cookies from its Chrome browser, claiming the move will eat into critical ad revenues for news organizations.
Axel Springer and hundreds of other publishers, advertisers, and content providers claim that Google parent Alphabet is breaking European antitrust laws with its plan to gradually phase out cookies from its signature web browser.
If Google were to follow through on the plan, it could result in revenue losses of up to 70% for media entities that rely on the search engine’s cookies to generate clicks through analyzing user preferences.
The complaint was filed with EU antitrust regulators in Brussels on Monday, according to the Financial Times.
While Google claims the move is being done to safeguard users’ privacy, the publishers claimed that Google will still be able to use alternative methods to collect data that will benefit its own advertising service while leaving competitors in the lurch.
“Publishers must remain in a position where they are allowed to ask their users for consent to process data, without Google capturing this decision,” according to the complaint.
Want more news? Subscribe to CPI’s free daily newsletter for more headlines and updates on antitrust developments around the world.
Featured News
Public Interest Groups Push for Rehearing on FCC Net Neutrality Case
Feb 18, 2025 by
CPI
Australian Regulator Backs Virgin Australia-Qatar Airways Alliance
Feb 18, 2025 by
CPI
EU Scales Back AI Regulations to Compete with US in Global Tech Race
Feb 18, 2025 by
CPI
Democratic Lawmakers Raise Concerns Over Musk’s Task Force and Taxpayer Data Security
Feb 18, 2025 by
CPI
UK’s CMA Provisionally Approves Poultry Feed Merger
Feb 18, 2025 by
CPI
Antitrust Mix by CPI
Antitrust Chronicle® – International Criminal Enforcement
Jan 23, 2025 by
CPI
The Antitrust Division’s Recent Work to Combat International Cartels
Jan 23, 2025 by
Emma Burnham & Benjamin Christenson
Information Sharing: The New Frontier of U.S. Antitrust Enforcement
Jan 23, 2025 by
Brian P. Quinn, Casey Kovarik & Michael Tubach
The Key Role of Guidelines on Exchanges of Information Among Competitors and the Divergent Transatlantic Paths
Jan 23, 2025 by
Rosa Abrantes-Metz & Albert Metz
Leniency, Whistleblowers, and Compliance
Jan 23, 2025 by
Richard Powers, Tara O’Malley & Cory Gordon