The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has taken significant measures to ensure competition in the digital advertising ecosystem by imposing conditions on Publicis Groupe S.A.'s acquisition of LiveRamp Holdings Inc. The FTC's proposed consent order mandates that Publicis must provide neutral access to LiveRamp's products and services and establish firewalls to protect customer data.

The $2.2 billion acquisition raises concerns that Publicis could leverage its control over LiveRamp to disadvantage competing media agencies. The FTC's complaint highlights the risk that Publicis might push clients to switch their media agency business to itself, undermining competition in media agency and audience data services.

David Shaw, Principal Deputy Director of the FTC’s Bureau of Competition, emphasized that the order aims to prevent Publicis from gaining an unfair competitive edge in the digital advertising marketplace. The FTC's actions are designed to allow the digital advertising sector to grow without compromising competition.

LiveRamp is recognized as a leading data connectivity provider in the U.S. media marketing ecosystem, while Publicis is the largest advertising agency in the country. The FTC's allegations suggest that the merger could lead to higher costs and lower quality services for customers relying on competing digital advertising services.

The proposed order requires Publicis and LiveRamp to maintain non-discriminatory access to LiveRamp's services for five years, establish firewalls to protect customer data, and appoint an independent auditor to ensure compliance. Additionally, protections for LiveRamp customers include safeguards against retaliation for raising compliance concerns and options for auditing compliance with data protection obligations.

The public has 30 days to comment on the proposed consent agreement, which will be processed and posted on Regulations.gov.