Sydney – An Australian regulator is considering letting internet users choose what personal data companies like Google share with advertisers, as part of the country’s attempts to shatter the dominance of tech titans.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) also proposed limiting giants’ ability to access users’ online histories to cross-sell products.
The proposals were part of the ACCC’s interim report into digital advertising in Australia, a A$3.4 billion market the regulator said is marked by a lack of competition, transparency and choice.
The ACCC estimates Google’s share of Australian digital advertising revenue at between 50% and 100% depending on the service.
“Google is the only one that can determine the effectiveness of ads, so really often they’re marking their own homework when it comes to the effectiveness of the ads they supply,” said ACCC chair Rod Sims.
“There’s a lot wrong with the market … and it’s effectively dominated by one player,” added Sims.
The proposal also added a new element to the antitrust regulator’s campaign to check the power of online behemoths Google and Facebook Inc in Australia.
