Google faces new litigation in Europe and the US over its privacy and tracking practices. In the EU, online publishers filed a complaint about Google’s plans to phase out third-party cookies. Meanwhile, four US Attorneys General filed a suit against Google for misleading consumers. Both place Google in the starring role of a renewed push to rein in big tech. However, the slow pace of litigation may prevent a tangible impact from these lawsuits in the next few years.
Trans-Atlantic trust-bust — The EU-based complaint led by German publisher Axel Springer claimed the move to restrict cookies would unfairly benefit Google’s $150 billion advertising business. The restriction would keep online publishers from the data needed to advertise competitively and threatens to cut publisher revenue by up to 70%. The US-based suit alleges that Google’s Android OS, used by 130 million Americans, continued to collect location data when consumers thought the feature was disabled. This puts Google’s desire to collect data for advertisers in conflict with consumer privacy.
The speed of justice — Google, Facebook, and Amazon now control more than 64% of the US digital advertising market. This gives them the ability to control access to data and reduce competition, something regulators hope to change. However, the slow pace of existing lawsuits may not be fast enough. In the EU, Google is still appealing a €2.4 billion lawsuit brought in 2009. This means it could be at least five years before the ramifications of this debate surface.