even Google can’t just make a change which might allow web users to get slightly more privacy. Because in flicking such levers the knock-on impact on other businesses that are dependent on its adtech infrastructure risks being a competition harm in itself.
I’m not sure if I’m getting this right: the publishing industry currently “profits” from Google’s ad empire in 2 ways: 1) by displaying Google-auctioned ads, 2) by collecting behavioral data on visitors and sending that to Google.
By switching to the “privacy sandbox” data collection, Google can use its dominance with Chrome to gather the behavioral data without the publishers cooperation (they don’t need to have the scripts and cookies tracking anymore, Chrome holds all required info!). Hence, it’s one less reason for Google to pay publishers. Conclusion: publishers will lose revenue, and protest.
I might be missing the point entirely here.
Anyway: breaking up Google is an interesting thought experiment.
I’m not sure if I’m getting this right: the publishing industry currently “profits” from Google’s ad empire in 2 ways: 1) by displaying Google-auctioned ads, 2) by collecting behavioral data on visitors and sending that to Google.
By switching to the “privacy sandbox” data collection, Google can use its dominance with Chrome to gather the behavioral data without the publishers cooperation (they don’t need to have the scripts and cookies tracking anymore, Chrome holds all required info!). Hence, it’s one less reason for Google to pay publishers. Conclusion: publishers will lose revenue, and protest.
I might be missing the point entirely here.
Anyway: breaking up Google is an interesting thought experiment.