On this week's episode of The MadTech Podcast, ExchangeWire CEO Rachel Smith and CSO Ciarán O'Kane join research lead Mat Broughton to discuss the upcoming rollout of Google's Privacy Sandbox; proposed antitrust measures to level the ad tech playing field; and UK households turning to free-ad supported TV (FAST).

Google to disable third-party cookies for 1% of users

Is the Privacy Sandbox going to be a success?

The countdown is on. Google has announced it will begin the deprecation of third-party cookies in Chrome, starting with 1% of users in Q1 2024.

This initial deprecation comes ahead of a broader phase-out for all Chrome users by Q3 2024. Privacy Sandbox, Google’s replacement for third-party cookies, is now available in Chrome.

Movement urges regulators not to stop at divestiture for Google

Can the ad tech playing field be levelled by these measures?

The Movement for an Open Web has recommended measures to level the playing field in ad tech. MoW has urged the U.K.’s Competition Markets Authority to force divestiture of Google’s ad tech assets, plus join with antitrust authorities from other G7 nations to oversee digital standards.

UK households turning to FAST

Is FAST the obvious solution for the adoption of CTV?

New research from Kantar has revealed that British households are increasingly turning to free ad-supported TV (FAST) channels. Insights from Entertainment on Demand found that 16% of UK households access FAST services on a weekly basis. 

Additionally, UK homes subscribed to at least one subscription video on demand (SVOD) platform rose by 0.5 million between Q2 and Q3 2023.