Google's Plan To Block Cookies Called An Anti-competitive Action, Here's Why

Google wants to block cookies because it wants to prioritize the privacy of Chrome users. (photo: doc. istock)

JAKARTA - Google's plan to block popular web tracking tools called "cookies" is an anti-competitive measure. This was revealed by a group of advertisers, publishers and technology companies in their complaint to the European Union's antitrust regulator.

The complaint could escalate a European Commission investigation opened in June into Alphabet's unit of Google's Privacy Sandbox which the company says could allow businesses to target groups of consumers without identifying individuals.

Google said a year ago that it would ban some cookies in its Chrome browser to improve user privacy and offered the Privacy Sandbox as an alternative.

The Movement for the Open Web (MOW) said the proposal would give Google the power to decide what data can be shared on the web and with whom. This makes their power even more unmatched and monopolizes the search engines.

"Google says they are strengthening 'privacy' for end users but they are not. However, what they are really proposing is creepy data mining," MOW attorney Tim Cowen said in a statement.

The Commission confirmed receipt of the complaint, saying it would assess it according to standard procedures. In June, they began an investigation into Google's online display advertising technology service.

Google has offered to settle the case in an attempt to avoid possible fines and a lengthy, annoying investigation. This was revealed by someone familiar with the matter at Google to Reuters last week.

Google declined to comment on the MOW complaint and referred to an earlier statement released when it offered concessions to the UK competition watchdog, which described the Privacy Sandbox as an open initiative to provide strong privacy for users while also supporting publishers.

The US Department of Justice is also looking into the matter, people familiar with the matter told Reuters.

The group's complaint to British regulators prompted its investigation which led Google to offer concessions.