Google's new advertising targeting system is of serious concern to European publishers

European publishers have expressed "serious concern" about Google's new advertising targeting system after abandoning third-party cookies, which allow it to sell highly personalized advertising space.

The new model promoted by the giant American company "will affect the advertising market and will upset the commercial model of the digital press", the EMMA (European Media Magazine Association, represent more than 15.000 publishing houses in Europe that publish over 50.000 magazines) and ENPA (European Newspaper Publishers' Association, representing over 5.200 European national, regional and local newspapers).

"Ultimately, it will allow Google to" further expand its data monopoly, "the associations added, as it will no longer be" possible for third parties to understand and handle data logging effectively. "

The publishers estimate that "such a significant change in the functioning of the digital economy should not be decided by a technology giant in the private sector." They call on European lawmakers to use their new digital regulatory plans to "limit the discretion of the platforms, safeguard fair competition and the viability of the press in Europe".

Google announced on March 3 that from the second quarter it will proceed to test in Chrome, the web browser, the new system of targeting advertising based on audience groups.

This system aims to replace third party cookies, which allow users to be targeted individually, but provoke reactions from proponents of the confidentiality of data.

Advertisers will now target segments of the audience that includes hundreds or thousands of people and will be identified by Google based on users browsing the Internet. But Google will not create recognition systems alternative to cookies "to track people when they surf," he explained.

For EMMA and EMPA, "such a change will disproportionately affect small players" who will not be able to "adapt their business model".

"All long-term business models based on data will be completely and utterly dependent on Google, which can unilaterally and without consequence decide and modify any rules," they added.

Google is expected to earn $ 116,7 billion in net advertising revenue in 2021 (+ 18,4% year-over-year), or almost 30% of that market, according to eMarketer.

Source: RES-EIA