The potential investigation comes after the competition watchdog published its advice on regulating digital markets

Britain’s competition watchdog has made a “priority” of probing Google’s plans to take greater control of  how internet users are tracked across the web.

Andrea Coscelli, chief executive of the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), said the regulator had been “working with the Information Commissioner’s Office” on a review of the tech giant.

Publishers have complained that Google plans to take the “cookies” used to track online adverts off the open web and minimise data sharing with advertisers. They have warned this could cut publisher revenues by up to two thirds.

Google’s plans would see more information kept “on device”, showing less data to ad buyers from 2022. A Google spokesperson said the changes would provide “strong privacy to users while also supporting publishers” and that it was in active discussions with regulators.

Mr Coscelli said the CMA would decide in the coming weeks on whether to launch a full investigation.

The potential investigation comes after the CMA published its advice to the Government on regulating digital markets. The watchdog proposed a new Digital Markets Unit that would have the power to levy potentially billions of pounds in fines on technology companies.

In submissions to the review, advertising lobbyists urged the regulator to tackle new privacy plans from Apple as well as Google.

The Interactive Advertising Bureau called on the regulator to “review the impact” of changes Apple is planning to make that will offer users a chance to opt out of hyper-targeted tracking by advertisers when they install a new app, which advertisers have warned could slash revenues.

Apple has said ad tracking should be “transparent and under user control”.