Australia: Release of interim report and opening of consultation by ACCC

On 28 January 2021, the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC) released its interim report as part of the digital advertising services inquiry. The ACCC simultaneously opened up a consultation period on the matter, which will run until 26 February 2021. The main findings include Google's enormous market shares in each of the 4 advertising service markets (advertiser ad servers, demand-side platforms, supply-side platforms and publisher ad servers) and Google's vertical integration in the ad tech supply chain having a negative effect on competition in the aforementioned markets. The ACCC further found possible violations of the Competition and Consumer Act 2010 in form of self-preferencing and several conflicts of interest by Google. Finally, the supply chain is very nontransparent which increases the weakening of competition. The ACCC is obliged to complete its inquiry by 31 August 2021.