In a recent announcement, Google has revealed its decision to push back the timeline for phasing out third-party cookies in its Chrome browser to 2025. The tech giant cited the necessity to provide regulators with ample time to assess the situation.

This revelation came through a blog post released on Tuesday, just ahead of Google’s Q1 2023 report. Google emphasized its ongoing collaboration with both the advertising industry and regulatory bodies on this initiative.

Notably, the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is currently conducting a review of Google’s practices.Third-party cookies, which are small pieces of data sent by websites to users’ browsers, have long been utilized for tracking browsing activity, primarily for advertising purposes.

The ban on third-party cookies is anticipated to enhance data privacy for Chrome browser users.Google has been actively engaging with publishers, marketers, and regulators to communicate its strategy for replacing cookies.

This initiative, known as the Privacy Sandbox, aims to address concerns regarding online activity tracking and personalized advertising.

Providing an update on the timeline for cookie phase-out, Google stated:“We recognize that there are ongoing challenges related to reconciling divergent feedback from the industry, regulators, and developers, and will continue to engage closely with the entire ecosystem.

“It’s also critical that the CMA has sufficient time to review all evidence including results from industry tests, which the CMA has asked market participants to provide by the end of June. Given both of these significant considerations, we will not complete third-party cookie deprecation during the second half of Q4.

“We remain committed to engaging closely with the CMA and ICO and we hope to conclude that process this year. Assuming we can reach an agreement, we envision proceeding with third-party cookie deprecation starting early next year.

”This decision underscores Google’s commitment to ensuring a collaborative and well-informed approach to the phase-out process, prioritizing the concerns of both industry stakeholders and regulatory authorities”.

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British regulators on Friday approved Microsoft’s $69-billion takeover of Activision Blizzard, maker of the “Call of Duty” video game, paving the way for one the biggest technology tie-ups.

The Competition and Markets Authority said in a statement that it had cleared “the new deal for Microsoft to buy Activision without cloud gaming rights” after concluding “it would preserve competitive prices and better services”.

Microsoft launched its blockbuster takeover in January last year, an acquisition that would make it the world’s third-largest gaming company by revenue, but it faced stiff scrutiny from regulators, including also in the United States.

The CMA blocked the deal in April over fears it would damage competition in the fast-growing cloud gaming sector, where games are bought virtually and players can use a variety of devices rather than just consoles.

But it dropped those objections last month ahead of its formal approval.

“We’re grateful for the CMA’s thorough review and decision today,” Microsoft vice chair and president Brad Smith said Friday.

“We have now crossed the final regulatory hurdle to close this acquisition, which we believe will benefit players and the gaming industry worldwide.”

Microsoft, which makes the Xbox console and already has a stable of games under its belt including “Minecraft”, “Elder Scrolls” and “Fallout”, is already the dominant player in the cloud-gaming world — its Game Pass service claims 25 million subscribers.

The original deal would have seen hugely popular Activision games including “Call of Duty”, “Overwatch” and “World of Warcraft” added to its cloud roster, which was too much for the UK regulator to stomach.

Under the new deal, Microsoft has agreed it would not take control of the cloud portion of Activision’s business, which will be transferred to French studio Ubisoft for 15 years.

Aside from the concerns over cloud gaming, regulators had also worried that the initial deal would have allowed Microsoft to make Activision’s games exclusive to its Xbox.

Microsoft and Sony, which had previously tried to block the Activision deal, agreed in July to keep releasing “Call of Duty” on the PlayStation.

The European Union cleared the deal in May while the US antitrust regulator recently paused its attempt to block the buyout following a setback in court.

AFP

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TECHDIGEST – Amazon on Wednesday offered commitments to the U.K. Competition and Markets Authority after Britain’s competition watchdog raised concerns about the U.S. e-commerce giant’s treatment of third-party sellers.

According to CNBC, the CMA said the remedies offered by Amazon, if accepted, would address its competition concerns as part of an investigation that began just over a year ago.

In July 2022, the CMA opened a probe into Amazon alleging it was abusing its strong market position by giving an unfair advantage to its own retail business and sellers that use its services over third-party merchants on its marketplace.

The CMA on Wednesday said Amazon has offered a number of commitments.

One of those commitments proposes to ensure Amazon does not use rival sellers’ marketplace data to gain an unfair advantage over other sellers. The CMA had raised concerns that Amazon’s access to “commercially sensitive data” relating to third-party sellers could give the e-commerce giant an advantage in deciding which products to sell and how to set prices.

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Amazon’s commitments also proposed to guarantee all product offers are treated equally when the company decides which ones will be featured in the “Buy Box.” This is an area on Amazon’s product pages that gives customers a one-click option to “Buy Now” or “Add to Basket.”

The CMA is concerned that products sold by third-party sellers were less likely to appear in the “Buy Box” than Amazon’s own products.

Amazon offered to allow third-party sellers to negotiate their own rates directly with providers of Amazon’s Prime delivery service, according to the CMA.

As part of the proposals to the CMA, Amazon will be required to appoint an independent trustee to monitor the company’s compliance with its commitments to the regulator. The CMA will have a “direct say” in this appointment.

“Amazon’s commitments to the CMA will help ensure that third-party sellers on Amazon Marketplace can compete on a level-playing field against Amazon’s own retail business and, ultimately, mean that customers in the UK get a better deal,” Ann Pope, senior director for enforcement at the CMA, said in a press release.

Vanguard

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TECHDIGEST – The UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has said it would launch a probe into Apple and Google’s dominance in the mobile market. The regulatory body claims that the two tech giants had established a stranglehold across the market, thereby creating a duopoly.

The CMA in a statement, says a consultation process was already ongoing with the view of an investigation, following a year-long study that found Google and Apple had an “effective duopoly on mobile ecosystems”. This dominance, it says, allowed the tech giants to exercise control over the market through their operating systems, app stores, and web browsers on mobile devices.

CMA notes that without interventions, both companies are likely to maintain, and even strengthen, their grip over the sector, further restricting competition and limiting incentives for innovators.

Commenting on the regulator’s preliminary findings on both companies, CEO of the CMA, Andrea Coscelli, said: “When it comes to how people use mobile phones, Apple and Google hold all the cards. As good as many of their services and products are, their strong grip on mobile ecosystems allows them to shut out competitors, holding back the British tech sector and limiting choice.

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“We all rely on browsers to use the internet on our phones, and the engines that make them work have a huge bearing on what we can see and do. Right now, choice in this space is severely limited and that has real impacts – preventing innovation and reducing competition from web apps. We need to give innovative tech firms, many of which are ambitious start-ups, a fair chance to compete.

“We have always been clear that we will maximise the use of our current tools while we await legislation for the new digital regime. Today’s announcements – alongside the 8 cases currently open against major players in the tech industry, ranging from tackling fake reviews to addressing problems in online advertising – are proof of that in action,” he added.

Claims against Apple, Google

The CMA claimed Apple and Google use their mobile ecosystems to determine “the rules of the game” and make it difficult for rival businesses to compete.
In total, Apple and Google hold a 90 per cent market share of default mobile browsers pre-installed on smartphones in the UK.

With regards to cloud gaming, the regulator accused Apple of blocking the emergence of the platform on its App Store.

Source: Nairametric 

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