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Google’s revised ad targeting plan raises fresh competition concerns in UK

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Google’s revised ad targeting plan triggers fresh competition concerns in UK

What’s happening with Google’s long-heralded migration to an alternate ad tech stack (i.e. its Privacy Sandbox proposal)? What, indeed. The entire multi-year endeavor to remodel the industrial web looks perilously near death after the most recent intervention by the UK’s antitrust regulator, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA).

This is in addition to the U-turn Google has made around third-party tracking cookies. Initially, they were speculated to be phased out; as of July, it looks just like the cookies are here to remain.

The CMA has been investigating Google’s Privacy Sandbox plan since January 2021, following a grievance filed in November 2020 by a coalition of digital marketing firms — which is one reason the project has been so painfully slow. But the slowness is beginning to seem like a firm “no” from the UK regulator.

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IN case update The CMA threw Google one other wrench in the works on Tuesday, writing that it had “competition concerns” in regards to the latest versions. The tech giant’s previous commitments, which might also have to be updated to reflect “the evolution of Google’s planned Privacy Sandbox browser changes,” it said.

This means — at best — further delays in a project that has already exceeded its original schedule by several years.

The CMA said it was discussing the changes with Google, and that Google would want to handle its competition concerns — but it surely has not yet specified exactly which parts of the revised proposal still fall short. One thing is obvious, nevertheless: Google’s proposed move to a user selection architecture is on hold while the regulator considers the implications.

“If the CMA is unable to agree changes to the commitments with Google that address the competition concerns, then the CMA will consider what further action may be necessary,” the regulator also wrote, again without specifying what options might then be considered (note: Google has already agreed not to finish its tracking cookies without the CMA’s consent), adding that it “will conduct a public consultation before making any decision to accept changes to the commitments and intends to do so in the fourth quarter of 2024.”

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The regulator plans to supply an update on what it calls its “views on Privacy Sandbox tools and an assessment of the results of testing and trials” in the ultimate quarter of the yr. So that clanking sound you may hear is the sound of a badly damaged can being kicked down the road again.

Ad Targeting: Who Has a Choice?

The CMA’s latest intervention follows a revised approach announced by Google this summer, when the tech giant suggested it would eliminate third-party tracking cookies altogether.

The implication of Google’s offer was also that its proposed selection architecture for Chrome could allow users to opt out of tracking-based personalized ads entirely — i.e., by offering a free selection to say “no” to such tracking (and, presumably, receive contextual ads as an alternative). Which could be great news for people’s privacy.

However, digital marketing corporations which have decided to dam opt-out of tracking cookies in Chrome are likely not in favor of giving web users such a big influence over internet advertising.

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The CMA’s assessment of Privacy Sandbox is clearly conducted from a pure competition perspective – so its role is to pay particular attention to such complaints.

The competition watchdog declined to reply questions on its approach. However, we understand the CMA is anxious that Google’s revised plan to present users with selection could significantly reduce the provision of third-party cookies for ad targeting – resulting in increased reliance on alternatives equivalent to Google’s Privacy Sandbox tools.

If there’s a priority that Google could use the Privacy Sandbox project to further cement its dominant position in the ad tech industry — including by giving web users more freedom to guard their privacy from advertisers — that’s a competitive concern.

On privacy, the CMA has previously said it’s working with the UK’s Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), the regulator answerable for enforcing domestic data protection laws, to think about the relevant issues around privacy and user selection design. However, as now we have outlined previously, the ICO has a history of under-enforcing adtech regulations – despite recognising compliance issues.

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The ICO’s recent actions in this area—pursuing certain kinds of non-compliant cookie consent pop-ups—have fueled the expansion of one other problematic type of evasion in the promoting industry: opt-in or pay mechanisms. This controversial approach, which is being challenged legally in the European Union, sees web users presented with a consent pop-up that blocks access to content until they accept tracking or pay a subscription fee to access the content. It is, in fact, the literal opposite of free selection.

And what has the ICO been doing about consent or payment? It consulted earlier this yr but has yet to take a public position on the legality of the controversial business model – allowing the privacy-hating mechanism to grow unchecked in the meantime.

All of which is to say that if the UK regulator is the very best hope for web users to fight for his or her privacy rights in the high-stakes battle for the long run of the industrial web – pitting Google against digital marketers and the CMA in their corner – then this doesn’t seem to be a good fight. It’s more like allowing competitors to dominate the hierarchy of interests.

Asked to answer the CMA’s latest intervention, Google spokeswoman Jo Ogunleye said the corporate was cooperating with regulators and believed its revised proposal was pro-competitive.

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A press release from the corporate was also sent, saying: We are working with the CMA on the Privacy Sandbox in line with the updated approach now we have recommend, which enables people to make informed decisions about how they browse the online. As we finalise this approach, we are going to proceed to seek the advice of with the CMA, the ICO and other regulators all over the world and stay up for continuing to work with the ecosystem to construct a personal, ad-supported web.”

We also asked for a response Lukasz Olejnikindependent consultant who has followed the Privacy Sandbox proposal from the outset. “Storing third-party cookies is detrimental to user well-being,” he warned, underlining a transparent change of direction by the CMA.

“I was extremely pleased with how professionally the CMA approached the migration to privacy-enhanced networks in a way that respected competition,” he also told TechCrunch. “However, over the past few months, I have seen a significant shift in enforcement priorities.”

Speculating on what may be driving the change, Olejnik noted that there had been a change of presidency in the UK – but said it was difficult to clarify why the regulator may need modified its priorities in this area.

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“To date, the CMA has fully understood that third-party cookies are problematic for privacy, data protection and trust in the digital advertising sector,” he said, adding: “While I believe there would still be a business case for Privacy Sandbox, such a position could undermine the quality of privacy and trust in businesses for UK users.”

This article was originally published on : techcrunch.com
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One of the last AI Google models is worse in terms of safety

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The Google Gemini generative AI logo on a smartphone.

The recently released Google AI model is worse in some security tests than its predecessor, in line with the company’s internal comparative test.

IN Technical report Google, published this week, reveals that his Flash Gemini 2.5 model is more likely that he generates a text that violates its security guidelines than Gemini 2.0 Flash. In two indicators “text security for text” and “image security to the text”, Flash Gemini 2.5 will withdraw 4.1% and 9.6% respectively.

Text safety for the text measures how often the model violates Google guidelines, making an allowance for the prompt, while image security to the text assesses how close the model adheres to those boundaries after displaying the monitors using the image. Both tests are automated, not supervised by man.

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In an e-mail, Google spokesman confirmed that Gemini 2.5 Flash “performs worse in terms of text safety for text and image.”

These surprising comparative results appear when AI is passing in order that their models are more acceptable – in other words, less often refuse to answer controversial or sensitive. In the case of the latest Llam Meta models, he said that he fought models in order to not support “some views on others” and answers to more “debated” political hints. Opeli said at the starting of this yr that he would improve future models, in order to not adopt an editorial attitude and offers many prospects on controversial topics.

Sometimes these efforts were refundable. TechCrunch announced on Monday that the default CHATGPT OPENAI power supply model allowed juvenile to generate erotic conversations. Opeli blamed his behavior for a “mistake”.

According to Google Technical Report, Gemini 2.5 Flash, which is still in view, follows instructions more faithfully than Gemini 2.0 Flash, including instructions exceeding problematic lines. The company claims that regression might be partially attributed to false positives, but in addition admits that Gemini 2.5 Flash sometimes generates “content of violation” when it is clearly asked.

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“Of course, there is a tension between (after instructions) on sensitive topics and violations of security policy, which is reflected in our assessment,” we read in the report.

The results from Meepmap, reference, which can examine how models react to sensitive and controversial hints, also suggest that Flash Gemini 2.5 is much less willing to refuse to reply controversial questions than Flash Gemini 2.0. Testing the TechCrunch model through the AI ​​OpenRoutter platform has shown that he unsuccessfully writes essays to support human artificial intelligence judges, weakening the protection of due protection in the US and the implementation of universal government supervisory programs.

Thomas Woodside, co -founder of the Secure AI Project, said that the limited details given by Google in their technical report show the need for greater transparency in testing models.

“There is a compromise between the instruction support and the observation of politics, because some users may ask for content that would violate the rules,” said Woodside Techcrunch. “In this case, the latest Flash model Google warns the instructions more, while breaking more. Google does not present many details about specific cases in which the rules have been violated, although they claim that they are not serious. Not knowing more, independent analysts are difficult to know if there is a problem.”

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Google was already under fire for his models of security reporting practices.

The company took weeks to publish a technical report for the most talented model, Gemini 2.5 Pro. When the report was finally published, it initially omitted the key details of the security tests.

On Monday, Google published a more detailed report with additional security information.

(Tagstotransate) Gemini

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Aurora launches a commercial self -propelled truck service in Texas

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The autonomous startup of the Aurora Innovation vehicle technology claims that it has successfully launched a self -propelled truck service in Texas, which makes it the primary company that she implemented without drivers, heavy trucks for commercial use on public roads in the USA

The premiere appears when Aurora gets the term: In October, the corporate delayed the planned debut 2024 to April 2025. The debut also appears five months after the rival Kodiak Robotics provided its first autonomous trucks to clients commercial for operations without a driver in field environments.

Aurora claims that this week she began to freight between Dallas and Houston with Hirschbach Motor Lines and Uber Freight starters, and that she has finished 1200 miles without a driver to this point. The company plans to expand to El Paso and Phoenix until the top of 2025.

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TechCrunch contacted for more detailed information concerning the premiere, for instance, the variety of vehicles implemented Aurora and whether the system needed to implement the Pullover maneuver or the required distant human assistance.

The commercial premiere of Aurora takes place in a difficult time. Self -propelled trucks have long been related to the necessity for his or her technology attributable to labor deficiencies in the chairman’s transport and the expected increase in freigh shipping. Trump’s tariffs modified this attitude, not less than in a short period. According to the April analytical company report from the commercial vehicle industry ACT researchThe freight is predicted to fall this yr in the USA with a decrease in volume and consumer expenditure.

Aurora will report its results in the primary quarter next week, i.e. when he shares how he expects the present trade war will affect his future activity. TechCrunch contacted to learn more about how tariffs affect Auror’s activities.

For now, Aurora will probably concentrate on further proving his safety case without a driver and cooperation with state and federal legislators to just accept favorable politicians to assist her develop.

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At the start of 2025, Aurora filed a lawsuit against federal regulatory bodies after the court refused to release the appliance for release from the protection requirement, which consists in placing warning triangles on the road, when the truck must stop on the highway – something that’s difficult to do when there isn’t a driver in the vehicle. To maintain compliance with this principle and proceed to totally implement without service drivers, Aurora probably has a man -driven automotive trail after they are working.

(Tagstranslate) Aurora Innovation

This article was originally published on : techcrunch.com
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Sarah Tavel, the first woman of the Benchmark GP, goes to the Venture partner

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Eight years after joining Benchmark as the company’s first partner, Sarah Tavel announced that she was going to a more limited role at Hapeure Venture.

In his latest position as a partner Venture Tavel will proceed to invest and serve existing company boards, but may have more time to examine “AI tools on the edge” and fascinated with the direction of artificial intelligence, she wrote.

Tavel joined Benchmark in 2017 after spending a half years as a partner in Greylock and three years as a product manager at Pinterest. Before Pinterest, Tavel was an investor in Bessemer Venture Partners, where she helped Source Pinterest and Github.

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Since its foundation in 1995, the benchmark intentionally maintained a small team of six or fewer general partners. Unlike most VC corporations, wherein older partners normally receive most of the management and profits fees, the benchmark acts as an equal partnership, and all partners share fees and returns equally.

During his term as a general partner of Benchmark, Tavel invested in Hipcamp on the campsite, chains of cryptocurrency intelligence startups and the Supergreaty cosmetic platform, which was purchased by Whatnot in 2023. Tavel also supported the application for sharing photos of Paparazhi, which closed two years ago, and the AI ​​11x sales platform, about which TechCrunch wrote.

(Tagstotransate) benchmark

This article was originally published on : techcrunch.com
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