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Microsoft has introduced the Ad Selection API in a limited, developer opt-in preview. - 8 Oct
The U.K.'s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has released an official statement on how Google's July third-party cookie decision affects the preexisting commitments between the CMA and Google, as well as its Q2-Q3 Privacy Sandbox commitments report. - 24 Oct, 11 Nov
Boston University's Questrom School of Business finds in its study that the Protected Audience API is fit for retargeting. - 24 Oct
12 November 2024: In the coming weeks, Meta will introduce new options for EU citizens, allowing free access to Facebook and Instagram with less personalized ads using contextual instead of behavioral targeting to comply with the Digital Markets Act. Meta is also reducing subscription prices in the region. [Meta Newsroom]
11 November 2024: The CMA's latest report on Privacy Sandbox commitments for Q2-Q3 2024 highlights:
Google met its commitments, but its shift to a user-choice model has prompted the CMA to collaborate with Google on revisions and updates.
The CMA, ICO, and Google are developing a governance framework to enhance transparency in Privacy Sandbox developments.
Ongoing concerns may be alleviated by shifting some processing to Bidding & Auction (B&A) services to reduce latency, and by supporting Prebid’s configurable solution as an alternative to Google Ad Manager. [Gov.uk]
7 November 2024: Opera has indicated that it aligns its development roadmap with Chrome's. [AdExchanger]
5 November 2024: Apple is set to become the first company fined under the European Union's Digital Markets Act (DMA) for anti-competitive behavior related to its App Store policies. The European Commission's investigation focuses on Apple's restrictions that prevent developers from directing users to alternative purchasing options outside the App Store. The fine, expected to be announced in November, could amount to up to 10% of Apple's global annual revenue. [The Verge]
5 November 2024: Google Ad Manager (GAM) has introduced new curation services through partnerships with the following companies: Audigent, Integral Ad Science, Liveramp, Lotame, Multilocal, Permutive, PrimeAudience, and Scope3. [Digiday]
28 October 2024: The Paris Commercial Court has ordered Google to pay €26.5 million to Equativ for anti-competitive practices in online advertising, specifically for giving preferential treatment to its own services. [Exchange Wire]
24 October 2024: A study by Boston University's Questrom School of Business indicates that Google's Protected Audiences API (PA API) could nearly match the effectiveness of third-party cookies for retargeting. The research, involving over 2,000 advertisers, found that PA API achieved approximately 86% of the click per dollar and 82% of the click-through conversions per dollar compared to traditional cookies. However, the study notes that low industry adoption of PAAPI is currently limiting its overall effectiveness. [AdExchanger]
24 October 2024: Ireland's Data Protection Commission (DPC) has fined LinkedIn €310 million for processing user data without a proper legal basis and failing to adequately inform users about its data practices, violating the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). In addition to the fine, LinkedIn has been ordered to align its data processing activities with GDPR requirements within three months. [Techcruch]
22 October 2024: A coalition of approximately 800 French advertisers and publishers has sent an open letter to Apple CEO Tim Cook, urging the suspension of the "Distraction Control" feature introduced in iOS 18. This Safari browser feature allows users to hide specific webpage elements, such as ads and consent pop-up windows. The group contends that this capability could inadvertently block advertisements and essential consent prompts, potentially leading to noncompliance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and adversely affecting publisher revenue. [Business Insider]
See also: What Are First-Party Cookies, and How Can Brands Use Them to Reach Customers?
21 October 2024: The Coalition for Privacy Compliance in Advertising (CPCA), a U.K.-based nonprofit, has been developing a privacy-compliance certification for MarTech, aiming for approval from the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO). The certification is expected to be ready for review in early 2025, initially focusing on the U.K. market. Upon successful implementation, the CPCA plans to extend similar certifications across the European Union and harmonize privacy standards globally. [AdExchanger]
15 October 2024: The IAB Tech Lab has introduced the Attribution Data Matching Protocol (ADMaP) for public comment. This specification enables conversion measurement without disclosing user-specific information, utilizing Privacy Enhancing Technologies (PETs) such as Private Set Intersection (PSI) and Trusted Execution Environments (TEEs). [IAB Tech Lab]
9 October 2024: Following Google’s July announcement, which we highlighted in this Cookieless Newsroom, Raptive reduced its Privacy Sandbox investment from 20% to 5% of its cookieless budget. Meanwhile, Index Exchange maintained its commitment, continuing to allocate 3% of its revenue to Privacy Sandbox initiatives. [AdWeek]
9 October 2024: Following a court ruling that identified Google as a search monopoly, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has proposed several measures:
Restricting Agreements: Prohibiting Google from establishing search agreements with device manufacturers.
Limiting Product Integration: Preventing Google from leveraging products like Chrome, Play, and Android to favor its search services.
Mandating Data Sharing: Requiring Google to share its search data and algorithms with competitors.
In response, Google has criticized these proposals as "radical" and warned of potential negative consequences for consumers and businesses. [BBC], [Google Blog]
8 October 2024: Microsoft has introduced the Ad Selection API in a limited developer opt-in preview for testing in regions outside the European Economic Area (EEA) and the United Kingdom (U.K.). This API is similar to Privacy Sandbox's Protected Audience API. [Microsoft Blog]
