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Stocktwits - Britain’s competition regulator is reevaluating its previous measures placed on Alphabet Inc. (GOOG, GOOGL) owned Google (NASDAQ:GOOGL), after the tech giant scrapped a key part of its plan to change how third-party cookies work in its Chrome browser.
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has now opened a public consultation to gauge whether oversight is still required or if Google should be released from the agreement later this year.
The restrictions were originally introduced in 2022 to ensure that Google’s “Privacy Sandbox” initiative, aimed at enhancing user privacy online, would not give the company an unfair edge in the lucrative digital advertising market.
Without CMA oversight, regulators warned, Google’s effort to eliminate third-party cookies could reduce competition.
The Privacy Sandbox is Google’s response to growing scrutiny over user tracking. It was designed to eliminate third-party cookies while still allowing advertisers to target audiences.
However, critics expressed concern that the shift could consolidate more power within Google’s advertising tools, sidelining rivals in a market that contributes billions to the U.K. economy.
To address those concerns, the CMA secured commitments from Google to ensure it did not use Privacy Sandbox to prioritize its own ad-tech services.
Those commitments included independent monitoring and regular updates to the regulator.
With Google no longer pursuing a standalone prompt for cookie blocking, the CMA believes the original concerns may no longer apply.
This development could shift the balance in the ongoing debate over online privacy, user tracking, and market competition as regulators and companies recalibrate their positions on data and advertising frameworks.
On Stocktwits, retail sentiment toward Alphabet remained in ‘bearish’ territory.
GOOGL’s Sentiment Meter and Message Volume as of 09:45 a.m. ET on Jun.13, 2025 | Source: StocktwitsAlphabet stock has lost over 7% in 2025 and under 1% in the last 12 months.
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