Google is once again the subject of a formal investigation by the European Commission: this time, it is in the field of online advertising that the American giant is suspected of having “Anti-competitive practices”. He could have “Promote its own online display advertising technology services (…), to the detriment of competing ad technology service providers, advertisers and online publishers ”, wrote the institution in a press release, Tuesday, June 22.
” Google collects data that will be used for targeted advertising, sells advertising space and provides intermediary online advertising services. It is therefore present at almost all levels of the supply chain with regard to online display advertising. We are concerned that Google has made the exercise of competition on the “ad tech stack“More difficult for competing online advertising services”, explained Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager.
In addition to the accusation of favoritism between its ad management services for site publishers and its ad buying platforms for advertisers, Google is criticized for its management of YouTube: the Commission notes that it is necessary to use Google tools to be able to serve ads on its video platform.
Advertising tracking
M’s servicesme Vestager will also look at recent changes made by Google on advertising tracking: the restriction of access to a user’s advertising identifiers for outside companies and also the replacement of third-party cookies, which allowed publishers to track the browsing of a user. ” an Internet user by new tools called “Privacy sandbox”. As in the case of Apple, regulators and some competitors suspect Google of using privacy as leverage to strengthen its dominance.
“Thousands of European businesses use our advertising products to reach new customers and fund their websites every day. They choose them because they are competitive and efficient, reacted a spokesperson for Google. We will continue to exchange constructively with the European Commission, in order to answer its questions and demonstrate the advantages that our products provide to European businesses and consumers. “
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