The Monopoly Report’s Alan Chapell sits down with FTC Commissioner Mark Meador at Marketecture Live to discuss industry privacy self-regulation, the future of the cookie opt-outs, the use of privacy as an anticompetitive pretext, and some ideas for better protecting kids online.

Takeaways

Self-regulation still matters, but must be effective and avoid collusion risks.
Privacy and competition often exist in tension and require balance.
Cookie-based systems are imperfect and depend on better alternatives emerging.
Risks around using privacy as a pretext to lock up the browser market or access to critical data.
Transparency is key for both consumer protection and fair competition.
Age verification is advancing rapidly with privacy-conscious innovation.
“Free” platforms still involve economic transactions and consumer trade-offs.
Antitrust enforcement is shifting toward tackling dominant players’ conduct.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and role of self-regulation in advertising

00:41 Why self-regulation still matters and how it should work

02:27 What makes self-reg effective in the eyes of the FTC

04:12 The limitations of cookie-based privacy tools

06:03 Global privacy controls and market-driven solutions

08:38 Balancing privacy and competition in digital markets

10:33 Protecting children online and age verification innovation

14:29 Solving privacy concerns in age verification systems

15:38 Why universal identity checks are not the goal

18:06 Measuring harm in “free” digital platforms

20:25 Current state of antitrust enforcement

23:07 Addressing monopolies after consolidation has occurred

25:28 Rethinking antitrust and the risks of concentrated power

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Alan Chapell’s Fireside chat with FTC Commissioner Meador