Alphabet Inc.'s Google will block web tracking tools, or "cookies," on its Chrome browser - catching the attention of U.S. Justice Department investigators after advertisers said the move would stop them collecting users' data.
Investigators have been asking advertising executives about their concerns and how changes to the way Google Chrome handles third-party cookies will affect advertising and news on the site, Engadget reported.
Google announced last year it would block some cookies in its browser to improve user privacy. The company released more details over the past two months - attracting complaints from online advertisers who said they would lose valuable information.
Investigators want to know if Google is using its browser's 60% world market share to gain an unfair edge over its rivals in the online advertising space - where Google also dominates.
Third-party cookies are used by advertising companies to track users' web activities - creating a profile of users' interests based on sites visited. They use this information to tailor advertisements for individual users.
"People want their information to stay private as they go around the internet," Engadget quoted a Google representative as saying in a statement.
"That's why we're working in partnership with the industry through Privacy Sandbox on privacy-preserving alternatives to third-party cookies that support the free and open internet," the Google official said.
Regulators have investigated Google's search and advertising business since the middle of 2019. The department sued Google in October - accusing the company of resorting to anticompetitive tactics to maintain the dominance of its search engine.
