Google

Chrome, far and away the world’s most used browser, is planning to phase out third party cookies within two years, the company announced today. Google admitted its browser’s use of third party cookies, which covertly track users across the web, is now out of step with consumers’ expectations of privacy,

The Australian government will review Australia’s Privacy Act, give more power to the ACCC to police digital platforms and order an inquiry into the supply of ad tech services and online advertising by agencies. Following a 12-week consultation period, the federal government today issued its response to the ACCC’s digital

Once upon a time digital disruptors were able to build products and enjoy rapid growth without having to spend big on advertising. In other words, the product was the marketing.  Or as marketing veteran Karen Ganschow puts it in this week’s cover story: ”If you create a great solution to

Google’s existing CEO Sundar Pichai is now also parent company Alphabet, following the departure of the company’s co-founders from the top of the organisation.  Larry Page is stepping down as CEO of Alphabet, while Sergey Brin is vacating his role as President of the company. Sign up for Which-50’s Irregular

Takeovers of smaller rivals by digital platforms, including their data sets, may pose a threat to consumers’ choice and privacy according to Rod Sims, chairman of the ACCC.  “Few consumers are fully informed of, nor can they effectively control, how their data is going to be used and shared,” Sims

Consumers comprehensively reject the practice of brands, publishers and platforms tracking their internet behaviour without their explicit consent, according to research commissioned by Which-50. Yet few sites or services allow for this, and instead assume implicit acceptance based on terms and conditions which few consumers have read — and even

Google today announced it is making Youtube “more shoppable” with the introduction of advertisements to the video platform’s search results and home feed. Youtube search result ads will be based on users’ search terms. Google’s example is a user searching for a video review on Puma running shoes. The ad,

Google has bought wearable company Fitbit for US$2.1 billion, reshaping the wearable technology market and giving the tech giant another outlet for income.  The transaction is expected to close in 2020, subject to customary closing conditions, including approval by Fitbit’s stockholders and regulatory approvals, including concerns over user privacy and

Alphabet, Google’s parent company, released Q3 results today showing its revenue and operating income growing from the prior year but net income falling.  Analysts are blaming Google’s investment in cloud computing for the drop in net income. The company has been building data centres, buying equipment, and hiring various staff

The ACCC has begun legal proceedings against Google in Australia, alleging the search giant engaged in misleading conduct and made false or misleading representations to consumers about the personal location data Google collects, keeps and uses.  The legal action follows the watchdog’s long-running investigation into digital platforms and their market