United Kingdom: Information Commissioner's Office issued report on Meta's participation in regulatory sandbox focusing on privacy-preserving advertising system

On 15 September 2025, the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) concluded its investigation into Meta Platforms' Privacy Preserving Attribution (PPA) system. The Regulatory Sandbox is a service developed by the ICO to support organisations creating products and services which utilise personal data in innovative and safe ways. The ICO determined that Meta's proposed advertising attribution system, designed as a privacy-enhanced alternative to third-party cookies, must comply with the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations' consent requirements. Meta was directed to develop governance frameworks, including contractual restrictions on helper parties, anti-collusion measures, audit mechanisms, penalties for misuse, and transparency requirements. It also highlighted requiring user consent for device storage, clear documentation of complex processing operations, and ongoing consultation with standards bodies.