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UK Competition Regulator Reviews Need for Google Ad Restrictions

By  |  June 15, 2025

The UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) announced this week that it no longer considers Google’s previous commitments regarding its online advertising practices necessary, following a key change in the tech giant’s privacy approach.

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    According to a statement from the CMA on June 13, the decision comes after Google abandoned its earlier plan to introduce a standalone prompt for third-party cookies. This reversal is a significant shift in the company’s broader “Privacy Sandbox” initiative, aimed at balancing user privacy with the needs of advertisers.

    The CMA had initially expressed concern that eliminating third-party cookies outright could reduce competition in the digital advertising space, potentially reinforcing Google’s dominance. In response, Google had offered a set of binding commitments in 2022 designed to mitigate those concerns.

    Per the CMA’s statement, regulators are now launching a consultation on whether to formally discharge those commitments later this year, signaling a potential end to a chapter in the agency’s oversight of Google’s privacy changes.

    Related: Google Faces £5 Billion Class Action in UK Over Alleged Online Search Monopoly

    Advertising continues to be a key revenue driver for Google, with ad sales accounting for 88.7% of its $77 billion in total revenue in 2016. This financial reliance has likely influenced Google’s cautious pace in reforming its ad technologies, especially as regulators worldwide scrutinize the balance between user privacy and market fairness.

    Google has modified its timeline for deprecating third-party cookies multiple times, recently extending the deadline to 2025. Instead of a full-scale removal, the company now plans to empower users with more control over their cookie preferences.

    The CMA’s evolving stance reflects the broader regulatory challenge of keeping pace with rapidly shifting strategies from major tech firms.

    Source: Techin Asia