In this episode, we dive into Google’s latest antitrust commitments in Europe. In June, we saw commitment decisions on Google’s ad-tech stack and its planned ‘Privacy Sandbox’ (under French and UK competition authorities' oversight) as well as voluntary changes to the Android choice screen (overseen by the European Commission since 2018). We examine what this less adversarial approach from Google signifies, and how authorities are engaging in ‘designer antitrust’ by putting forward ever-more detailed fixes.

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Meet the hosts:

• Kay Jebelli, Counsel to the Computer & Communications Industry Association - Twitter (@KayJebelli), LinkedIn, SSRN
• Friso Bostoen, Academic at KU Leuven & Research Foundation Flanders - Twitter (@BostoenFriso), LinkedIn, SSRN

Further reading:

• ‘The Autorité de la concurrence hands out a €220 millions fine to Google for favouring its own services in the online advertising sector’, 7 June 2021
• Google, ‘Some changes to our ad technology’, 7 June 2021
• ‘CMA to have key oversight role over Google’s planned removal of third-party cookies’, 11 June 2021
• Google, ‘Our commitments for the Privacy Sandbox’, 11 June 2021
• ‘Commission fines Google €4.34 billion for illegal practices regarding Android mobile devices’, 18 July 2018
• Google, ‘About the choice screen’, 8 June 2021
• ‘Commission opens investigation into possible anticompetitive conduct by Google in the online advertising technology sector’, 22 June 2021