# FTC Proposes Digital Advertising Safeguards

On October 19, 2026, the Federal Trade Commission proposed a consent order for Publicis Groupe’s $2.2 billion acquisition of LiveRamp, citing competition risks in media agency and audience data services. If finalized, the order would require the companies, for five years after the transaction closes, to preserve nondiscriminatory access to LiveRamp’s standalone services, protect customer data with firewalls, and undergo independent compliance audits. The FTC is accepting public comments for 30 days. The proposed conditions are relevant to organizations that procure or provide advertising, audience-data, and data-connectivity services because they address access, data separation, and ongoing oversight in a consolidating market.

- Government buyers and contractors using LiveRamp’s services can assess how the proposed access and data-firewall provisions may affect service availability, data handling, and vendor relationships if the order is finalized.
- Companies providing media agency or audience-data services should evaluate how the proposed safeguards and independent audits could affect their competitive position and compliance practices.
- Interested parties may submit comments during the FTC’s 30-day public comment period; the signal does not specify a calendar closing date.

**Jurisdictions:** federal
**Industries:** Information Technology
**Topics:** Regulatory Compliance
**Published:** October 19, 2026

### Government Entities
- Federal Trade Commission (FTC)
- FTC Bureau of Competition

### Vendors
- Publicis Groupe S.A. (acquirer)
- LiveRamp Holdings Inc. (acquired company)

### Sources
- [FTC Order Preserves Competition in Digital Advertising Ecosystem as Part of Publicis’s Acquisition of LiveRamp | Federal Trade Commission](https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2026/10/ftc-order-preserves-competition-digital-advertising-ecosystem-part-publiciss-acquisition-liveramp) - FTC