Marketing Updates
October 16-22
Week 42 – Marketing Industry
Amazon.co.za Set to Launch in South Africa in 2024: Amazon announces its expansion into South Africa with the planned launch of Amazon.co.za next year, opening doors for local sellers to register their businesses and reach customers nationwide. The move aims to offer greater value and convenience for customers while enabling small and medium-sized businesses to grow. [source]
Google Meet Introduces Portrait Touch-Up Mode: Google Meet now offers a portrait touch-up feature, bringing it in line with competitors like Zoom and Microsoft Teams. The new feature provides two modes for complexion smoothing and other beautifying effects but is currently only accessible to users with premium Google accounts and on mobile devices. [source]
YouTube Invests in Multi-Format News Experience: YouTube has announced two new initiatives aimed at enhancing the news-watching experience on its platform. These include an immersive watch page for news stories and a Shorts Innovation Program for News, designed to offer financial grants and expert support to news organizations. [source]
Week 40
Week 40
AI To Assist Shoppers in Amazon: Amazon is undergoing a significant transformation in its e-commerce experience with Project Nile, a highly confidential initiative to enhance the shopping journey using generative AI. This initiative, led by former Microsoft executive Joseph Sirosh, seeks to provide a more conversational, personalised, and in-depth search experience akin to an in-store salesperson who understands individual preferences. [source]
Assistant with Bard: Google’s Next Innovation for Personal Help: Google announced that Bard, its generative AI technology, will be integrated into Google Assistant. This new iteration will be available on iOS and Android in the coming months. [source]
Android 14 With Meta-Like Multiple Profiles: Google’s Android 14 introduces significant improvements that now let users have a separate Work Profile, a vital tool for businesses seeking to protect company data and maintain employee privacy while promoting work-life balance. [source]
Week 39
Week 39
Indonesia Bans E-commerce Transactions on TikTok: Indonesia has immediately banned e-commerce transactions on social media platforms such as TikTok Shop. The regulation also includes requirements for e-commerce platforms to set minimum prices for specific items and ensure products meet local standards. [source]
Shopify Benchmark: Shopify introduces a benchmarking functionality, allowing merchants to compare campaign performance with similar businesses for more relevant insights. [source]
Week 38
Week 38
During its 2023 Investor Day, Pinterest emphasised user activity growth and data-driven personalisation as it aims to become a key focus for retail advertisers by refining its AI systems. [source]
Amazon Prime Video to launch ads in early 2024, offering an ad-free tier: Ads will initially roll out in the U.S., U.K., Germany, and Canada in early 2024, with France, Italy, Spain, and Mexico to follow later in the year, aiming to show fewer ads than linear TV. [source]
Brainlabs secures investment from Falfurrias Capital Partners: Brainlabs, a high-performance media agency, has announced a significant investment from Falfurrias Capital Partners. This new partnership aims to extend Brainlabs’ reach in its core markets and expand its international footprint. (Daniel Gilbert)
Instacart’s IPO focuses on data and advertising: As Instacart prepares to trade on the Nasdaq, investors view it as a grocery-delivery company and a data and advertising business. The key to its ongoing success will be proving that its ads generate profits and incremental sales. [source] (Guru Hariharan)
Nestlé selects WPP as its sole media agency in Europe: Nestlé has chosen WPP to handle all media planning, buying, and campaign activation across Europe. The WPP OpenMind team will serve as Nestlé’s exclusive media agency in the region. [source]
Open AI & Generated Content
Bard AI unveils comprehensive feature updates for better user collaboration: Bard has released its most feature-rich update, offering an array of new capabilities such as real-time data retrieval from Google apps, interaction with Gmail, Docs, and Drive, and an upgraded sharing feature. These enhancements provide users with a more intuitive, customisable, and collaborative experience. [source]
DALL·E 3 with Advanced Features: OpenAI has unveiled DALL·E 3, a text-to-image system that offers unparalleled nuance and detail, eliminates the need for prompt engineering, and is built on ChatGPT. The new version will be available for ChatGPT Plus and Enterprise customers in early October and comes with ethical safeguards like not mimicking living artists. [source]
Verification Button for Content Accuracy: Google Bard’s new feature highlights unverifiable statements in brown, prompting users to fact-check and apply their expertise before utilizing generated content. This functionality aims to enhance content reliability and promote responsible use of AI ( Karin Pespisa, MBA, APR )
Week 37
Week 37
- Meta has dismissed a Financial Times report suggesting that the company is looking into displaying ads on WhatsApp. The company clarified that it is neither testing nor planning to introduce ads on the platform. [source]
- Mark Zuckerberg discusses safety and access in AI at AI Insight ForumMark: Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta, emphasised the need for collaboration between policymakers, academics, and industries to ensure AI safety and widen access during a forum hosted by U.S. Senators. [source]
- PyTorch transitions to newly formed PyTorch Foundation: Mark Zuckerberg announced that PyTorch’s AI framework will now be overseen by the newly created PyTorch Foundation, part of the nonprofit Linux Foundation. The move aims to ensure transparent decision-making and robust governance, with board members from companies like AMD, Amazon Web Services, Google Cloud, Meta, Microsoft Azure, and Nvidia. [source]
- TikTok has started to include Wikipedia snippets in its Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs), marking the first time the platform has featured content from the wider web. Previously, TikTok’s SERPs only showcased its content. The new feature was silently rolled out several months ago. [source]
- Instacart has introduced AI-powered search features that allow shoppers to look for broad topics like “Healthy Breakfast Ideas,” generating organised but sometimes flawed results. Brands that understand the mechanics of this new three-layer search system could gain a competitive edge, especially as the feature is not yet widely adopted. (Guru Hariharan)
- Amazon rolls out new search features to challenge Google: Amazon has updated its mobile search capabilities. These features include visual search with text options, augmented reality for product visualisation, trend data in search results, a ‘Find-on-Amazon’ sharing feature, and easier reordering of previous purchases. Amazon aims to become the go-to platform for product searches, posing a challenge to search engines like Google and Pinterest. [source]
Week 35
Week 35
According to Yelp Data, the U.S. economy is experiencing a surge in new business openings in 2023, surpassing last year’s record numbers. Notably, sectors like hotels and travel and home services are leading the growth, and minority-owned businesses, including Black, Latinx, and LGBTQ-owned, are growing above the national average. [source]
Global advertising spending is projected to surpass $1 trillion in 2024, with an 8.2% increase expected next year, according to a report by WARC. Five tech giants—Alphabet, Meta, Amazon, Alibaba, and ByteDance—are expected to capture 51.9% of this spending, fueled by diverse advertising options and robust growth in sectors like social media, retail media, and specific industries such as financial services and tech. The U.S. will account for about a third of global ad spend, but the most significant growth is expected in South Asia and the Middle East. [source]
Week 34
Week 34
Httpool by Aleph and Microsoft Advertising have entered into a new agreement, effective September 1, 2023, to enhance advertising capabilities across 23 countries in Central and Eastern Europe and select other European markets. This collaboration builds upon their successful partnership in Latin America and the Caribbean, and aims to offer localized, optimized digital campaigns with streamlined billing. (source)
Ai developments
Google released Crystalvalue, an open-source tool on GitHub, aims to simplify customer lifetime value prediction using Vertex AI on Google Cloud. By enabling marketers to use first-party data, the tool seeks to aid in identifying high-value customers for optimized marketing strategies. (source – Omri Goldstein)
Meta released Code Llama, a state-of-the-art language model specialized in coding tasks, which is designed to enhance developer workflows and assist in coding education. (source)
Week 31
Week 31
Apple has reported its financial results for the third quarter of 2023. The company achieved quarterly revenue of $81.8 billion, a 1% decrease year over year, and earnings per diluted share of $1.26, a 5% increase year over year. (source)
Walmart is expanding its digital advertising offerings in stores by introducing targeted ads on screens in self-checkout lanes. Brands can purchase ad space and choose specific regions or stores to promote their campaigns. (source)
AI advancements
Bing Chat Enterprise: Microsoft is expanding its AI-powered Bing services with Bing Chat Enterprise, offering AI-powered chat for work with commercial data protection. Bing Chat Enterprise is available in preview and will be included at no additional cost in select Microsoft 365 plans. Additionally, Microsoft 365 Copilot will be priced at $30 per user per month for certain Microsoft 365 customers when broadly available. Microsoft is also rolling out Visual Search in Chat, allowing users to search with images. (source)
AudioCraft is a cutting-edge AI tool developed by Meta that enables users to generate high-quality audio and music from simple text prompts. The tool consists of three models: MusicGen, which generates music from text prompts, AudioGen, which creates audio and sound effects from text prompts, and an improved version of EnCodec, which enhances the music generation process with higher quality and fewer artifacts. (source)
CM3leon: Trained using only one-fifth of the compute of previous transformer-based methods, CM3leon is the first single foundational model capable of image-to-text generation, enhancing various tasks like image captioning, visual question answering, text-based editing, and conditional image generation. (source)
Video content in SGE: As planned, Google is testing videos in Search Generative Experience. With this new feature, when you click play on a video, video content opens in a larger window and offers related topics and a link to YouTube. (Glenn Gabe)
Week 30
Week 30
Double Verify has expanded its verification services to include YouTube’s Shorts clips. This will provide marketers with additional validation of Shorts’ traffic and impact. (source)
Apple has been granted a patent for next-generation AirPods capable of measuring various biosignals, including electrooculography (EOG), electromyography (EMG), and electroencephalography (EEG).
EOG is a technique that tracks eye movements, essentially acting as an indicator of where your eyes are focused. EMG measures muscle activity, functioning as a sensor detecting muscle work intensity and timing. EEG captures brain activity, acting as a device that monitors cerebral “communication” to understand its functioning. (source)
Platforms’ Q2 2023
Alphabet (Google): Alphabet’s advertising unit saw an increase in revenue to $58.1 billion from $56.3 billion a year earlier. Google Search & Other revenues increased to $42.6 billion in Q2 2023, up from $40.7 billion the previous year, and YouTube advertising revenue climbed to $7.7 billion from $7.3 billion. (source)
Amazon: Amazon.com has confirmed that its next quarterly earnings report will be published on Thursday, August 3rd, 2023. However, it was reported that ad spending increased on the platform during Q2 2023.
Microsoft: The tech giant’s advertising business saw an increase of 3% in its advertising and news search revenue. LinkedIn, Microsoft’s social platform, surpassed $15 billion in revenue for the first time in the 2023 fiscal year. However, these results were lower than expectations, which the company attributed to a decline in advertising spend. (source)
Meta (formerly Facebook): The company’s Q2 2023 report showed an ad revenue increase of 12%, with total revenue reaching $32 billion, an 11% increase year-on-year. Meta also added 27 million new users, reaching a total of 3 billion monthly active users. The ad impressions rose by 34% year-on-year while ad costs fell by 16%. Despite this growth, the company’s VR/AR division reported a $3.7 billion loss for the quarter. (source)
Twitter/X Corp: Under its new name, X Corp, the social media platform is working to attract advertisers by offering discounts of up to 50%. Despite these efforts, ad revenue has decreased significantly, and the financial burden of the company’s acquisition by Elon Musk has resulted in significant debt. (source)
Snapchat: The social media company added 14 million more daily active users (DAU) in Q2, bringing its total DAU to 397 million. The majority of this growth came from the ‘Rest of the World’ category, particularly from India. Despite an increase in users, Snapchat’s Q2 revenue was just over a billion dollars, which is a decrease of 4% YoY but an increase of 8% QoQ. (source)
Spotify: During its Q2 2023 earnings call, CEO Daniel Ek hinted at potential AI-driven features to personalize the user experience, including AI-generated ads and AI-summarized podcasts. However, the impact of these possible changes on Spotify’s financials was not disclosed. (source)
Walmart: Ad spending increased on Walmart during Q2 2023, with Walmart Sponsored Products spending rising 39% YoY. Despite competition from emerging brands like Temu, the ad pricing declined by just 4% in the second quarter. (source)
Temu: This emerging fashion brand showed strong growth in Q2 2023, becoming a major player in the Google Shopping race. The brand competes against 82% of US advertisers, which is a higher share than Walmart. Its strong performance indicates it could be a serious alternative for marketers considering buying ad space with other platforms. (source)
Week 29
Week 29
Open-sourced Llama 2: Meta is democratizing access to AI by open-sourcing Llama 2, its large language model, for free use in research and commercial projects. This is achieved through a partnership with Microsoft, making Llama 2 accessible through various platforms like Azure, AWS, and Hugging Face. (source – download the model here)
Custom instructions for ChatGPT: This feature lets you give ChatGPT any custom requests or context which you’d like applied to every conversation. Custom instructions are currently available to Plus users. (source)
Increase message limit: OpenAI announced doubling the message limit for ChatGPT Plus Users from 25 messages to 50 every 3 hours. It’s already started rolling out in some accounts. (Alex Velinov)
Bing Chat Enterprise: Bing Chat Enterprise addresses the need for a secure work chat platform that safeguards sensitive organizational data. It comes at no additional cost for commercial customers licensed for Microsoft 365 E3, E5, Business Standard and Business Premium. Once enabled, Bing Chat Enterprise can answer complex questions like, “What are the top 5 things I should know when managing a large project?”. (source)
Visual Search in Chat: Visual Search in Chat uses OpenAI’s GPT-4 model to understand and interpret images, enabling users to ask questions related to those images. (source)
Week 27
Week 27
OpenAI announced the general availability of GPT-4, its latest text-generating model, through its API. (source)
Google Calendar is expanding its “Working location” feature to allow users to specify their location for specific parts of the day as well. (source)
Shazam is Apple’s app that helps users identify songs and It can now identify songs on YouTube, Instagram and TikTok. (source)
OpenAI has recently made its Code interpreter available to all Plus users. This experimental feature allows users to access a junior programmer’s assistance quickly and easily. With the Code interpreter, users can utilize Python, access uploaded files, and download the results of their work. Kristina Kashtanova created a simple Asteroids game in 5mn with this new feature (see post)
Week 26
Week 26
Twitter’s new chief executive, Linda Yaccarino, is preparing a series of measures to bring back advertisers who had abandoned the platform under Elon Musk’s ownership, including introducing a video ads service, wooing more celebrities, and raising headcount. (source)
Meta is planning to let people in the EU directly download apps through Facebook ads, setting the company up to eventually compete with Google and Apple’s app stores. (source)
In the ANA’s examination of programmatic ad dollars, Made-for-Advertising Sites (MFAs) accounted for 21% of the audited 35 billion impressions. (source – read report)
The study’s primary conclusion is that the $88 billion open web programmatic media ecosystem is riddled with as much as $20 billion in waste […] Advertisers prioritize cost over value, sometimes to their own detriment.”
Advertisers have demanded billions in refunds from YouTube. A report by Adalytics, a digital ad analysis company, accused Google of misleading advertisers. TrueView allows users to skip ads, but the report found that ads were being served as muted and auto-playing videos on third-party sites, leading to significant financial losses for advertisers. Google denied. (read the report)
Google denied, see answer.
The report wrongly implies that most campaign spend runs on GVP rather than YouTube. That’s just not right. The overwhelming majority of video ad campaigns serve on YouTube. […]
Ad inventory across the Google Video Partner network is more than 90% viewable. This is well above industry norms.
If you’re interested in learning how to avoid investing in the GVP network, I’d recommend this edition from Dr. Augustine Fou.
Week 25
Week 25
Netflix announced its basic plan will no longer be an option for Canada’s subscribers. (source)
Midjourney v5.2 was released with a game-changing update “Zoom Out”, allowing for better photorealism, a variation mode tool, and zoom in/zoom out capabilities.
Candle Media and TikTok partner to develop brand storytelling opportunities, featuring Candle’s media units. TikTok will sponsor Hello Sunshine’s LitUp Writer Fellowship Program to support underrepresented women storytellers. (source)
Microsoft said it was working on a video advertising product that would allow marketers to target LinkedIn users while they watch content on streaming services. (source)
Developers can now build new experiences for Apple Vision Pro by using the same foundational frameworks, including Xcode, SwiftUI, RealityKit, ARKit, and TestFlight. (source)
Week 24
Week 24
Microsoft is undergoing a rebranding process, with some notable changes to their platforms. PromoteIQ will now be known as Microsoft Retail Media, while Xandr’s solutions will be rebranded as Microsoft Monetize, Microsoft Invest, and Microsoft Curate. (source)
Meta announced a new generative AI for speech called Voicebox. It will help to perform speech generation tasks — like editing, sampling and stylizing (source)
The Brandtech Group acquires Pencil, a generative ai ad platform. (source)
Smartly.io is expanding its campaign management solutions to include Google’s Performance Marketing Ads Suite this summer (source)
Uber will soon start displaying video ads in its apps. They’ll appear while you wait for a ride to show up and while you’re in transit, after you place orders in Uber Eats and in search results and other parts of Drizly, (source)
Amazon is testing the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in its shopping app to generate product review summaries left by customers. (source)
Week 23
Week 23
Twitter’s U.S. ad revenue is projected to drop by at least 56% each week compared to the previous year, according to the internal document. (source)
Apple has announced new privacy and security features, including updates to Safari Private Browsing, Communication Safety, and Lockdown Mode. Additional features include Check-In, NameDrop, and Live Voicemail. These updates will be available in free software updates this fall. (source)
Bing supports Voice chat in 5 languages: English, Japanese, French, German & Mandarin (source)
Google Bard now responds “more accurately to mathematical tasks, coding questions and string manipulation prompts,” and generated tables can be exported in Google Sheets (source)
Falcon-40B, a newly released open-source language model, offers high performance and flexibility, breaking down barriers of proprietary models and empowering researchers and developers. Last week, the Technology Innovation Institute (TII) announced that Falcon-40B is now free of royalties for commercial and research use. (source)
Week 21
Week 21
Meta has been forced to sell Giphy, a platform of sharable animated images and micro-videos, to Shutterstock for around $53 million in cash after an antitrust ruling. Meta originally paid around $400 million, which is a big loss. (source)
Spotify is developing AI technology that will be able to use a podcast host’s voice to make host-read ads — without the host actually having to read and record the ad copy. (source)
Adobe’s AI image generator Firefly was released as a web-only beta in March. Generative Fill launched in beta, but Adobe says it will see a full release in Photoshop later this year. (source)
Bard now includes images in relevant responses and also when you specifically ask for them, starting with English (Jack Krawczyk)
Microsoft pubCenter, Microsoft’s AdSense alternative, is being relaunched. Here’s a setup guide from Barry Schwartz.
Week 20
Week 20
TikTok was banned in Montana by Gianforte “to protect Montanans’ personal and private data from the Chinese Communist Party,” officially making it the first state to ban the social media application. (tweet / source)
TikTok extends its partnership with New York Yankees and YES Network, enhancing fan experience through exclusive content, in-Stadium branding, and TikTok Days at Yankee Stadium. (source)
Microsoft started rolling out unauthenticated chat access on Bing. (source)
ChatGPT app for iOS: The ChatGPT app syncs your conversations, supports voice input, and brings our latest model improvements to your fingertips. (download here)
Apple announced the expansion of the Apple Store online in Vietnam. (source)
Meta’s partnership with BMW aims to integrate augmented and virtual reality into smart vehicles, revolutionizing travel with hands-free communication, entertainment, and utility. (source)
Amazon plans to bring ChatGPT-style product search to its web store, rivalling efforts by Microsoft Corp. and Google to weave generative artificial intelligence into their search engines. (source)
According to the latest Nielsen report, Total TV usage decreased by 1.9% in April. Cable gained 0.4 share points to account for 31.5% of TV usage due to an active news cycle, while broadcast and streaming saw slight declines.
Week 19
Week 19
- Google pays Texas $8 million to settle allegations of deceptive advertising for Pixel 4 phone. (source)
- WhatsApp is developing a native Wear OS app, allowing users to check messages on their smartwatches with end-to-end encryption. (source)
- Bard expands access to Japanese and Korean, adds one-click export to Google Docs and Gmail, and introduces Dark theme. (source)
- Elon Musk announces Linda Yaccarino as Twitter’s new CEO, focusing on business operations while Musk handles product design. (tweet)
Week 18
Week 18
Facebook pages impersonating businesses have been used to spread malware in a series of scams that have recently been identified. Among the compromised accounts were several verified Facebook pages, including those impersonating the social media company itself, which shared suspicious links with tens of thousands of followers. In some instances, the hacks were not detected by Facebook’s automated ads system. (source)
Citymapper, the popular transit and travel planning app, has made its previously paid premium features free to all users and introduced a new half-price subscription plan to remove advertising. The move follows Via’s acquisition of the company and enables Via to monetise the app directly while encouraging greater usage by making all features free. (source)
NBCUniversal has unveiled four new ad formats, including AI-powered shoppable ads, which brands can use to reach Peacock Premium subscribers. One new format, Must ShopTV, allows viewers to purchase items that appear in Peacock content.
To make this possible, the company has partnered with KERV Interactive, whose algorithm can identify shoppable products. Viewers can engage with a QR code prompt via their mobile device to buy an item they see in a show. (source)
Week 17
Week 17
Pinterest has opened up third-party ad demand and partnered with Amazon to bring more brands and products to the platform. The partnership aligns with Pinterest’s goal of making every pin shoppable and the rollout will begin in 2023. (source)
Week 16
Week 16
Google Research has updated Bard to include programming and software development capabilities. Bard can now help with code generation, debugging, and explanation in over 20 programming languages, including Python, Java, and C++. It can also assist with writing functions for Google Sheets. (source)
Amazon has initiated layoffs within its advertising division as part of CEO Andy Jassy’s cost-control measures. Amazon’s global workforce grew to over 1.6 million by the end of 2021. As a result of the recent layoffs, Amazon will reallocate resources, including shifting team members, slowing down or stopping certain programs, and recognizing the need for different skill sets to address priorities. Affected employees were notified via email, with the layoffs scheduled to commence on June 20. (source)
Apple launched its Apple Card savings account with a 4.15% annual percentage yield. It requires no minimum deposit or balance, Apple said, and users can set up an account from the Wallet app on their iPhones. (source)
Week 13
Week 13
Apple TV users can now access Netflix’s Basic with Ads plan, but the ad-supported tier is still unavailable on other devices. Only 9% of new US subscribers signed up for the cheaper plan launched in 11 countries. (source)
Walmart introduced Display Auctions on the Display Self-serve platform, empowering advertisers to bid on available Walmart Onsite Display inventory for self-serve campaigns. (source)
Apple introduces Apple Pay Later to allow consumers to pay for purchases over time. Users can apply for Apple Pay Later loans of $50 to $1,000. (source)
Other Updates:
Week 12
Week 12
TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew testified in a 5-hours hearing before the House Energy and Commerce Committee. (source)
ChatGPT has introduced plugins to connect with various applications like Shopify, Slack, Instacart, OpenTable, Klarna, Expedia (Florian Huber)
Google’s version of ChatGPT called ‘Bard‘ is now available for the waitlist.
With Image Creator, Bing can now create AI images for you. Test it.
Bing Chat answers are now available for certain queries in Bing Search.
Week 41
Week 41
TikTok Unveils Data Security Measures for U.S. and European Users: TikTok has detailed its security protocols in a blog post, revealing that U.S. user data is stored in Oracle’s U.S. Cloud and managed by a specialized TikTok U.S. Data Security team. Additionally, the company announced Project Clover, an initiative to move European TikTok user data to data centres in Dublin and Norway by 2024, with oversight from a third-party European security company. [source]
New GDPR Compliance Tool by AEPD: The Spanish Data Protection Authority has introduced ValidaCripto RGPD, a tool designed to evaluate encryption systems and help businesses with GDPR compliance. The tool offers an intuitive interface and visual components to quickly identify gaps in encryption processes. (Diogo Duarte)
Meta’s Approach to Content Monitoring Amidst Israel-Hamas Conflict: Meta has taken multiple steps to ensure that content on its platforms adheres to community guidelines amidst the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas. These include establishing a special operations centre, enhanced policies against hate speech and violence, and removing content that violates guidelines in both Hebrew and Arabic. [source]
Week 40
Week 40
Meta Negotiating for Ad-Free Subscription Model: Meta is reportedly discussing with the EU’s data protection regulators to introduce a $ 14-a-month ad-free subscription model. This move comes as the company seeks to align its ad practices with the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) after facing legal challenges for tracking and profiling users without valid consent. [source]
German authority nods to Google’s data control measures: The German antitrust regulator, Bundeskartellamt, has concluded its proceedings against Google, with the tech giant agreeing to offer users more control over their data. [source]
Amazon’s Secret Algorithm, Project Nessie: The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) filed a complaint against Amazon, alleging antitrust violations and hinting at Project Nessie‘s existence. The allegations are that the algorithm under Project Nessie reportedly boosted Amazon’s profits by artificially inflating prices across various categories until it was discontinued in 2019. [source]
€ 5.8 Million Fine Against Grindr Upheld: The Norwegian Privacy Appeals Board confirms a €5.8 million fine against Grindr for breaching the General Data Protection Regulation. This decision strongly conveys the implications of unauthorized data sharing in surveillance-based advertising. [source]
U.S. vs. Plaintiff States v. Google LLC Trial Documents: Delve deeper into the ongoing antitrust trial against Google, focusing on critical aspects such as the generalized second price auction (GSP). These downloadable PDF documents offer a thorough analysis of the case. [pdf 1 – pdf 2]
Week 39
Week 39
Landmark antitrust lawsuit against Amazon: The U.S. government, along with 17 states, has filed an antitrust lawsuit against Amazon, alleging that the e-commerce giant has harmed both shoppers and sellers on a massive scale. The lawsuit accuses Amazon of running an illegal monopoly, exploiting its dominant position to lock in sellers and shoppers, and artificially inflating prices. The case could lead to a breakup of Amazon and has implications for third-party sellers and online retail competition. [source]
Amazon wins interim stay on EU’s public ads archive requirement: Amazon has partially won the EU General Court against the Digital Services Act’s (DSA) requirement to make an ads library public. The court agreed that releasing this information could cause “serious and irreversible commercial harm” to Amazon. However, the court did not suspend the DSA’s requirement for Amazon to offer a non-profiling option for recommendations to its users. [source]
Apple rejected Microsoft’s bid for Bing despite higher offer: Microsoft’s CEO of Advertising and Web Services, Mikhail Parakhin, revealed that Apple rejected Microsoft’s proposal to make Bing its default search engine, despite offering more than Google. The decision implies that Google’s deal with Apple may not be solely financially motivated. Microsoft was willing to incur a significant short-term loss for the default search engine status, emphasizing its importance. [source]
Facebook becomes subject to legal action over biased ad algorithm: A California State Court of Appeals has ruled that Facebook can be sued for claims that its advertising algorithm is biased. This reverses a 2020 decision that protected Facebook under Section 230. [source]
Note: The case originated from allegations that Facebook’s algorithm did not show insurance ads to women and older people, potentially violating civil rights laws. The ruling could have implications for brands using Facebook’s ad tools, as they may unintentionally engage in discriminatory practices.
iOS17-like privacy is now part of MacOS Sonoma: Safari in macOS Sonoma introduces powerful features that enhance privacy and usability. Users can now create separate profiles for different purposes, making switching between work and personal browsing easy. Private Browsing offers improved protection against tracking techniques, and the ability to add websites to the dock provides a more app-like experience for frequently visited sites. [source]
Ask Meta AI: Meta has introduced new generative AI features, such as deleting information shared in any chat with an AI across Messenger, Instagram, or WhatsApp. As a note, Meta AI is also available when using the new Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses collection, a new competitor for Siri. [source]
Reddit now mandates personalised ads based on user’s activity: Reddit is making updates to improve user privacy and ad preferences that include more transparent privacy settings descriptions, the ability to limit ads from specific categories, consolidation of ad personalisation settings, and simplification of location customisation options. [source]
Week 38
Week 38
iOS17 launched by Apple: Apple’s iOS 17 update includes enhanced privacy in the Safari browser, with separate browsing profiles for work and personal use. It also increased protection against trackers and locking of Private Browsing when not in use. These changes can affect user tracking, targeting, and the effectiveness of personalised advertising efforts. [source] – [dive deeper]
“The iOS 17 updates will only remove GCLID parameters (and other ad parameters) from the URL in incognito mode. We are still determining if Apple will roll this out for regular browsing. Based on various sources, Safari’s estimated global user base is around 18-20%.” (Alfred Simon)
Google Faces landmark antitrust trial: The U.S. Justice Department has taken Google to court over allegations of anticompetitive behaviour related to its search engine. The 10-week trial could significantly change Google’s operations and the internet landscape. Here’s a comprehensive rundown of developments so far and their potential impact. [Official Statements]
Google admitted introducing RGSP System to Disrupt Ad Ranking Norms: This revelation, shared by Google Ad executive Jerry Dischler at a federal antitrust trial, has triggered debates about the integrity of Google’s Smart Bidding system.
With RGSP, “we flip them,” Dischler said. “Otherwise, Amazon always shows up on top.”
Without prior notice to advertisers, Google has increased ad and reserve pricing, in some instances, by up to 10%. Google introduced a new “RGSP” system, potentially called “Randomized Generalized Second Price“.
This could allow runner-up bidders to take the top ad slot, disrupting the traditional highest-bidder-wins model. This aims to support smaller advertisers dominated by big players with higher ad ranks, like Amazon or Booking, while fulfilling Google’s internal revenue objectives. [source] (Jason Kint)
Week 37
Week 40
- EU fines TikTok €345 million for violating children’s data rules: The European Union has fined TikTok €345 million for mishandling the personal data of young users aged 13-17. The fine comes after an investigation by Ireland’s Data Protection Commission found that TikTok defaulted these profiles to public settings, allowing anyone to view and contact their content. [source]
- Google pays $93 Million to settle California location-privacy lawsuit: Google has agreed to pay $93 million in a settlement with the California Department of Justice over allegations that it violated consumer protection laws by collecting location data without informed consent. [source]
As part of the settlement, Google will enhance transparency around its location tracking and clarify how user location data may be used for advertising.
- iOS 17 officialised tracking URL removal: iOS 17 will allow users to strip tracking information from URLs even when not using the private browsing mode in Safari. Enabling this function ensures that all URLs opened will be free from additional tracking information, enhancing user privacy. [source]
Week 35
Week 35
Apple Ads Library: Apple has launched an Ads Library that allows users to view Apple-delivered ads for specific countries and regions. This new tool could provide valuable insights into competitor strategies or simply satisfy curiosity about the advertising landscape. [source] (Harriet Sewell)
Meta has updated its Ad Library. As part of the ‘European Union transparency’ initiative, users can now see specifics such as targeted locations, ages, genders, and reach metrics, and then open the ‘European Union transparency report for a particular ad. [see example]
X, formerly Twitter, has updated its privacy policy to include collecting users’ biometric data and employment and education history. The biometric data collection is aimed at premium users for added verification and security, while the employment and education data will be used for job recommendations and targeted advertising. These changes come amid a lawsuit alleging that X wrongfully collected biometric data of Illinois residents without consent. The new policy is set to take effect on September 29. [source]
X, formerly Twitter, has reversed its political advertising ban, which could impact the 2024 elections and potentially boost its ad revenue. While the company will enforce rules against misleading content and plans to create a “global advertising transparency centre,” the decision marks a significant shift from its previous stance that “political message reach should be earned, not bought.” [source]
Week 34
Week 40
Meta is facing criticism for approving Facebook ads that contained hate speech and calls for violence, according to a report by watchdog group Ekō. The allegations spotlight weaknesses in Meta’s content moderation systems just as the EU’s Digital Services Act, aimed at curbing such issues, is set to go into effect. (see report)
“Search Branded Content”: Meta has introduced a “Search Branded Content” feature in its Ads Library, allowing users to gain insights into competitor strategies, including their partnerships and campaign frequency. This new tool comes as the Digital Services Act is set to be enforced in the EU, putting more responsibility on large platforms to increase transparency. (test Branded content)
iOS 17 Link Tacking Protection: The latest iOS update is affecting ad click parameters, complicating offline conversion tracking. ( Joey Bidner, Brad Redding)
Personal Note: UTMs haven’t gone anywhere, and platforms like TikTok and Klaviyo are still holding strong. Apple is currently targeting hyper-granular tracking, which aims to identify the individual user journey.
This reinforces the importance of using enhanced conversions for leads on top of using offline imports, which rely on GCLIDs, and future solutions such as GBRAID will hopefully help in the near future.
Week 32
Week 40
The U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia has ruled on two antitrust lawsuits against Google, filed by the U.S. Department of Justice and 38 state Attorneys General. The lawsuits claim that Google’s practices breach Section 2 of the Sherman Act. Despite dismissing some claims, Judge Mehta allowed allegations regarding Google steering search advertising dollars and restricting competitors’ access to Android to proceed to trial. (source)
Norway’s data protection authority, Datatilsynet, has announced that Meta Platforms, Facebook’s owner, will incur a daily fine of 1 million crowns ($98,500) starting from August 14 due to privacy breaches. (source)
TikTok is adjusting its algorithm in Europe to comply with the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA), disabling personalized feeds and ensuring users aged 13 to 17 won’t receive tailored ads based on online activities. These changes aim to meet the DSA’s requirements by its August 28th deadline. (source)
YouTube is testing a new anti-adblocker feature, displaying a timer indicating when the next ad will play for users with adblockers. This move aims to encourage non-paying viewers to either allow YouTube ads or upgrade to YouTube Premium, which offers an ad-free experience. (source)
[Oct 2 - Oct 8, 2023]
Week 40
The U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia has ruled on two antitrust lawsuits against Google, filed by the U.S. Department of Justice and 38 state Attorneys General. The lawsuits claim that Google’s practices breach Section 2 of the Sherman Act. Despite dismissing some claims, Judge Mehta allowed allegations regarding Google steering search advertising dollars and restricting competitors’ access to Android to proceed to trial. (source)
Norway’s data protection authority, Datatilsynet, has announced that Meta Platforms, Facebook’s owner, will incur a daily fine of 1 million crowns ($98,500) starting from August 14 due to privacy breaches. (source)
TikTok is adjusting its algorithm in Europe to comply with the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA), disabling personalized feeds and ensuring users aged 13 to 17 won’t receive tailored ads based on online activities. These changes aim to meet the DSA’s requirements by its August 28th deadline. (source)
YouTube is testing a new anti-adblocker feature, displaying a timer indicating when the next ad will play for users with adblockers. This move aims to encourage non-paying viewers to either allow YouTube ads or upgrade to YouTube Premium, which offers an ad-free experience. (source)
[Oct 2 - Oct 8, 2023]
Week 30
Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA) and COPPA 2.0: these 2 bills aimed at safeguarding children on the internet were approved by the Senate Commerce Committee and will be sent to the Senate floor. (source)
California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA): The Superior Court of California ruled that businesses weren’t given enough time to comply with the California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA). The court didn’t delay the CPRA statute enforcement but did postpone individual regulations’ enforcement.
Despite the delay, existing California Consumer Protection Act (CCPA) regulations remain in effect. Companies are advised to monitor and comply with current and upcoming state laws, incorporate industry best practices like Privacy by Design, and gradually build privacy protections to meet evolving legislation requirements. (source – Week 29)
[Oct 2 - Oct 8, 2023]
Week 29
Google is progressively deploying its Privacy Sandbox APIs, designed to replace tracking cookies in the digital advertising ecosystem. The launch, timed to coincide with the release of Chrome 115 to the stable channel, will involve enabling the relevance and measurement APIs in the browser.
This process will be implemented gradually, with Google aiming for the APIs to be available to 99% of users by mid-August.
Attribution Reporting API for ad measurement: Third-party cookies (3PC), traditionally used for conversion measurement and attribution, are set to be deprecated in favour of privacy-focused alternatives. Chrome’s Attribution Reporting API (ARA), part of the Privacy Sandbox initiative, offers a solution for conversion measurement post-3PC deprecation.
Google Ads encourages ad-tech providers to adopt the ARA to maintain effective conversion measurement while prioritizing user privacy. The ARA provides event-level and aggregate summary reports, allowing a more comprehensive view of data. To adapt to a future without third-party cookies, ad-tech providers must adjust their current measurement protocols to incorporate ARA. (source)
TikTok Ad Transparency Library: TikTok launched an ad transparency library and expanded access to its research API in Europe, moves seen as compliance with incoming requirements under the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA).
(1) The research API offers researchers more transparency on TikTok’s platform and moderation system through public and anonymized data about content and activity on the app. TikTok’s move seems aimed at enhancing transparency and allowing robust study of systemic risks associated with major platforms.
(2) The Commercial Content Library provides data on ads and commercial content running in Europe, including who paid for the ad, targeting parameters, and data on views.
Meta’s behavioural ads banned in Norway: Norway’s data protection authority, the Datatilsynet, has issued a temporary ban on Meta’s behavioural advertising on Facebook and Instagram unless user consent is obtained. The order applies for three months and permits other forms of targeted advertising that don’t rely on tracking and profiling users. Meta could face fines of up to NOK 1 million (~$100,000) per day if it continues its current practices. (source)
Week 26
Week 26
YouTube is conducting a global experiment to deter viewers using ad blockers. Users with ad blockers enabled may receive a prompt warning that their video playback could be interrupted if they continue using the tool. The experiment aims to encourage viewers to either disable ad blockers or subscribe to YouTube Premium. (source)
The CNIL sanctioned Criteo, which specialises in online advertising, with a fine of EUR 40 million, in particular for failing to verify that the persons from whom it processed data had given their consent. (CNIL decision)
Amazon must turn over European Sales data in an antitrust suit. (source)
Week 25
Week 25
Gannett vs Google: the parent company of USA TODAY and other news publications, has filed a federal lawsuit against Google, accusing the company of violating antitrust and consumer protection laws in its digital advertising practices Gannett’s lawsuit follows similar legal action by state attorneys general, the Justice Department, and the European Union.. (source)
FTC vs Amazon: The FTC is suing Amazon over dark patterns in Prime subscriptions, using manipulative designs to trick users into enrolling and making cancellation processes complex. Screenshots in the document highlight the “dark pattern” aspect. This case holds significance in the study of dark patterns and is important for those working in the field. (source – Luiza Jarovsky)
Noyb vs TeleSign: noyb filed a complaint against TeleSign, a US company which profiled millions of phone users. TeleSign generates a “reputation score” and sells its services to various clients like TikTok, Microsoft or Salesforce. (source – Romain Robert)
Week 24
Week 24
EU Commission sends Statement of Objections to Google over abusive practices in online advertising technology. The European Commission has informed Google of its preliminary view that the company breached EU antitrust rules by distorting competition in the advertising technology industry (‘adtech’). (source)
Meta’s Ad Verification: In line with The EU Digital Services Act (DSA), which now requires Meta to provide more information on ad targeting, Meta’s adding new elements when EU targeting is selected, which will prompt advertisers to specify a ‘beneficiary’ and ‘payer’ for each campaign. (source)
“As part of our efforts to create transparency for businesses and people, and to respond to EU regulations, we will require advertisers to designate who benefits from their ads (beneficiary) and who is paying for their ads (payer) for all Facebook and Instagram ads which target the EU, associated territories, or select global/worldwide.”
Spotify was fined € 5 Million for GDPR violations by the Swedish Data Protection Authority (IMY) because the streaming Service did not properly answer requests for access to data and did not provide users with an easy way to exercise their right to access under Article 15 GDPR. (source / Romain Robert)
Week 20
Week 20
Meta was fined a record 1.2 billion euros ($1.3 billion) and ordered to stop transferring data collected from Facebook users in Europe to the United States, in a major ruling against the social media company for violating European Union data protection rules. (source)
Google announced that its Privacy Sandbox APIs, aimed at phasing out third-party web tracking cookies, will be available to Chrome users in July. The company outlined the upcoming steps for web developers to test and integrate the new system, with a broader deprecation of third-party cookies targeted for the second half of 2024. (source)
Google is gearing up to release the relevance and measurement APIs as part of its Privacy Sandbox project. The APIs, including Topics, Protected Audience, Attribution Reporting, Private Aggregation, Shared Storage, and Fenced Frames, aim to provide interest-based advertising and measurement capabilities without relying on third-party cookies or user identifiers. These APIs will gradually become available in Chrome Stable from late July 2023. (source)
What’s next? Starting in early 2024, Google plans to migrate 1% of Chrome users to Privacy Sandbox and disable third-party cookies for them. (source)
Google is introducing a new requirement for its partners to use a Google-certified Consent Management Platform (CMP) that integrates with IAB Europe’s Transparency and Consent Framework (TCF). This move aims to improve the consent experience, align with evolving user expectations, and support industry standards for transparency and consent in online advertising. The decision follows the finalization of TCF V2.2 and Google’s commitment to user privacy. (source)
Week 16
Week 16
As Chrome’s third-party cookie deprecation approaches, Google Ads and Display & Video 360 are experimenting with interest-based audience solutions that use privacy-preserving signals. These signals include contextual information from the Topics API from the Privacy Sandbox & 1P identifiers such as Publisher Provided IDs.
The experiment showed that interest-based audience solutions with privacy-preserving signals performed well compared to third-party cookies. Spending on IBA decreased by 2-7%, while conversions per dollar decreased by 1-3%. Click-through rates remained consistent. (source)
Google has renamed the FLEDGE API to “Protected Audience API” as it moves beyond the experimental phase. The change reflects the technology’s purpose to enhance user privacy while improving ad relevance and safeguarding audience data. Despite the new name, the underlying APIs and commands will remain the same to minimize disruption. (source)
Nine more states have joined the U.S. Department of Justice in a lawsuit against Google, alleging that the company violated antitrust regulations in its digital advertising business. (source)
Week 15
Week 15
Apple has changed the way that cookies set via A/AAAA DNS cloaking are classified: previously, they would be interpreted as first-party, but now, they’ll be viewed as third-party and limited to the same 7-day lifetime as other third-party cookies. (Eric Seufert – read more)
The CNIL, French Competition Authority, is likely to proceed with an antitrust investigation into Apple’s 2021 app tracking policy changes, accusing the company of illegal anticompetitive behaviour. The changes impacted the digital advertising world and led to significant revenue losses for rivals like Meta. (source)
Week 13
Week 13
Ads Transparency Center: Google is rolling out the Ads Transparency Center globally to help users easily learn more about the ads they see, including the advertiser, the ad format, and when it was last shown. Users can also access My Ad Center to like, block, or report ads. (source)
Google will require advertisers to complete one or more verification programs. Below are some examples of the verification programs we may ask you to complete. A more detailed list can be found here. (source)
Still, Meta aims to limit the impact of EU orders so that it only applies to EU users and allows demo/geo-targeting by default. Privacy rights group noyb plans to take legal action against Meta for this illegal practice. (source)
Other Updates:
- A bipartisan group of U.S. senators introduced a bill aimed at cutting Google and Facebook’s clout in online advertising, an early sign that lawmakers will press on with efforts to rein in Big Tech in the new Congress. (source)
- Italy has become the first Western country to block the advanced chatbot ChatGPT. (source)
- Google’s 2022 Ads Safety Report (source)
Week 7-8
Week 7-8
This week, policymakers will start finalizing the EU’s new Regulation on Political Ads. Whether this happens depends on a choice facing EU policymakers about how to define a “political ad” in the new law. (source)
Facebook started to include more details in the “Why am I seeing this ad?” feature incl. Information summarized into topics, new examples and illustrations and more ways to access Ads Preferences (source)
Week 3-4
Week 3-4
Alphabet was sued by the US Justice Department and eight states, calling for the break up of the search giant’s ad-technology business over alleged illegal monopolization of the digital advertising market. (source)
“The lawsuit we have filed today seeks to hold Google to account for what we allege are its longstanding monopolies in digital advertising technologies that content creators use to sell ads and advertisers use to buy ads on the open Internet,” said the Justice Department’s antitrust chief Jonathan Kanter
Meta is fighting back against a scraping-for-hire service and filed legal action against Voyager Labs in federal court in California.(source)
TikTok will label accounts run by entities whose editorial output or decision-making process is subject to control or influence by a government. (source)
Week 40
Week 40
Meta Negotiating for Ad-Free Subscription Model: Meta is reportedly discussing with the EU’s data protection regulators to introduce a $ 14-a-month ad-free subscription model. This move comes as the company seeks to align its ad practices with the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) after facing legal challenges for tracking and profiling users without valid consent. [source]
German authority nods to Google’s data control measures: The German antitrust regulator, Bundeskartellamt, has concluded its proceedings against Google, with the tech giant agreeing to offer users more control over their data. [source]
Amazon’s Secret Algorithm, Project Nessie: The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) filed a complaint against Amazon, alleging antitrust violations and hinting at Project Nessie‘s existence. The allegations are that the algorithm under Project Nessie reportedly boosted Amazon’s profits by artificially inflating prices across various categories until it was discontinued in 2019. [source]
€ 5.8 Million Fine Against Grindr Upheld: The Norwegian Privacy Appeals Board confirms a €5.8 million fine against Grindr for breaching the General Data Protection Regulation. This decision strongly conveys the implications of unauthorized data sharing in surveillance-based advertising. [source]
U.S. vs. Plaintiff States v. Google LLC Trial Documents: Delve deeper into the ongoing antitrust trial against Google, focusing on critical aspects such as the generalized second price auction (GSP). These downloadable PDF documents offer a thorough analysis of the case. [pdf 1 – pdf 2]
Week 39
Week 39
Landmark antitrust lawsuit against Amazon: The U.S. government, along with 17 states, has filed an antitrust lawsuit against Amazon, alleging that the e-commerce giant has harmed both shoppers and sellers on a massive scale. The lawsuit accuses Amazon of running an illegal monopoly, exploiting its dominant position to lock in sellers and shoppers, and artificially inflating prices. The case could lead to a breakup of Amazon and has implications for third-party sellers and online retail competition. [source]
Amazon wins interim stay on EU’s public ads archive requirement: Amazon has partially won the EU General Court against the Digital Services Act’s (DSA) requirement to make an ads library public. The court agreed that releasing this information could cause “serious and irreversible commercial harm” to Amazon. However, the court did not suspend the DSA’s requirement for Amazon to offer a non-profiling option for recommendations to its users. [source]
Apple rejected Microsoft’s bid for Bing despite higher offer: Microsoft’s CEO of Advertising and Web Services, Mikhail Parakhin, revealed that Apple rejected Microsoft’s proposal to make Bing its default search engine, despite offering more than Google. The decision implies that Google’s deal with Apple may not be solely financially motivated. Microsoft was willing to incur a significant short-term loss for the default search engine status, emphasizing its importance. [source]
Facebook becomes subject to legal action over biased ad algorithm: A California State Court of Appeals has ruled that Facebook can be sued for claims that its advertising algorithm is biased. This reverses a 2020 decision that protected Facebook under Section 230. [source]
Note: The case originated from allegations that Facebook’s algorithm did not show insurance ads to women and older people, potentially violating civil rights laws. The ruling could have implications for brands using Facebook’s ad tools, as they may unintentionally engage in discriminatory practices.
iOS17-like privacy is now part of MacOS Sonoma: Safari in macOS Sonoma introduces powerful features that enhance privacy and usability. Users can now create separate profiles for different purposes, making switching between work and personal browsing easy. Private Browsing offers improved protection against tracking techniques, and the ability to add websites to the dock provides a more app-like experience for frequently visited sites. [source]
Ask Meta AI: Meta has introduced new generative AI features, such as deleting information shared in any chat with an AI across Messenger, Instagram, or WhatsApp. As a note, Meta AI is also available when using the new Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses collection, a new competitor for Siri. [source]
Reddit now mandates personalised ads based on user’s activity: Reddit is making updates to improve user privacy and ad preferences that include more transparent privacy settings descriptions, the ability to limit ads from specific categories, consolidation of ad personalisation settings, and simplification of location customisation options. [source]
Week 38
Week 38
iOS17 launched by Apple: Apple’s iOS 17 update includes enhanced privacy in the Safari browser, with separate browsing profiles for work and personal use. It also increased protection against trackers and locking of Private Browsing when not in use. These changes can affect user tracking, targeting, and the effectiveness of personalised advertising efforts. [source] – [dive deeper]
“The iOS 17 updates will only remove GCLID parameters (and other ad parameters) from the URL in incognito mode. We are still determining if Apple will roll this out for regular browsing. Based on various sources, Safari’s estimated global user base is around 18-20%.” (Alfred Simon)
Google Faces landmark antitrust trial: The U.S. Justice Department has taken Google to court over allegations of anticompetitive behaviour related to its search engine. The 10-week trial could significantly change Google’s operations and the internet landscape. Here’s a comprehensive rundown of developments so far and their potential impact. [Official Statements]
Google admitted introducing RGSP System to Disrupt Ad Ranking Norms: This revelation, shared by Google Ad executive Jerry Dischler at a federal antitrust trial, has triggered debates about the integrity of Google’s Smart Bidding system.
With RGSP, “we flip them,” Dischler said. “Otherwise, Amazon always shows up on top.”
Without prior notice to advertisers, Google has increased ad and reserve pricing, in some instances, by up to 10%. Google introduced a new “RGSP” system, potentially called “Randomized Generalized Second Price“.
This could allow runner-up bidders to take the top ad slot, disrupting the traditional highest-bidder-wins model. This aims to support smaller advertisers dominated by big players with higher ad ranks, like Amazon or Booking, while fulfilling Google’s internal revenue objectives. [source] (Jason Kint)
Week 37
Week 37
EU fines TikTok €345 million for violating children’s data rules: The European Union has fined TikTok €345 million for mishandling the personal data of young users aged 13-17. The fine comes after an investigation by Ireland’s Data Protection Commission found that TikTok defaulted these profiles to public settings, allowing anyone to view and contact their content. [source]
Google pays $93 Million to settle California location-privacy lawsuit: Google has agreed to pay $93 million in a settlement with the California Department of Justice over allegations that it violated consumer protection laws by collecting location data without informed consent. [source]
As part of the settlement, Google will enhance transparency around its location tracking and clarify how user location data may be used for advertising.
iOS 17 officialised tracking URL removal: iOS 17 will allow users to strip tracking information from URLs even when not using the private browsing mode in Safari. Enabling this function ensures that all URLs opened will be free from additional tracking information, enhancing user privacy. [source]
Week 35
Week 35
Apple Ads Library: Apple has launched an Ads Library that allows users to view Apple-delivered ads for specific countries and regions. This new tool could provide valuable insights into competitor strategies or simply satisfy curiosity about the advertising landscape. [source] (Harriet Sewell)
Meta has updated its Ad Library. As part of the ‘European Union transparency’ initiative, users can now see specifics such as targeted locations, ages, genders, and reach metrics, and then open the ‘European Union transparency report for a particular ad. [see example]
X, formerly Twitter, has updated its privacy policy to include collecting users’ biometric data and employment and education history. The biometric data collection is aimed at premium users for added verification and security, while the employment and education data will be used for job recommendations and targeted advertising. These changes come amid a lawsuit alleging that X wrongfully collected biometric data of Illinois residents without consent. The new policy is set to take effect on September 29. [source]
X, formerly Twitter, has reversed its political advertising ban, which could impact the 2024 elections and potentially boost its ad revenue. While the company will enforce rules against misleading content and plans to create a “global advertising transparency centre,” the decision marks a significant shift from its previous stance that “political message reach should be earned, not bought.” [source]
Week 34
Week 34
Meta is facing criticism for approving Facebook ads that contained hate speech and calls for violence, according to a report by watchdog group Ekō. The allegations spotlight weaknesses in Meta’s content moderation systems just as the EU’s Digital Services Act, aimed at curbing such issues, is set to go into effect. (see report)
“Search Branded Content”: Meta has introduced a “Search Branded Content” feature in its Ads Library, allowing users to gain insights into competitor strategies, including their partnerships and campaign frequency. This new tool comes as the Digital Services Act is set to be enforced in the EU, putting more responsibility on large platforms to increase transparency. (test Branded content)
iOS 17 Link Tacking Protection: The latest iOS update is affecting ad click parameters, complicating offline conversion tracking. ( Joey Bidner, Brad Redding)
Personal Note: UTMs haven’t gone anywhere, and platforms like TikTok and Klaviyo are still holding strong. Apple is currently targeting hyper-granular tracking, which aims to identify the individual user journey.
This reinforces the importance of using enhanced conversions for leads on top of using offline imports, which rely on GCLIDs, and future solutions such as GBRAID will hopefully help in the near future.
Week 32
Week 32
The U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia has ruled on two antitrust lawsuits against Google, filed by the U.S. Department of Justice and 38 state Attorneys General. The lawsuits claim that Google’s practices breach Section 2 of the Sherman Act. Despite dismissing some claims, Judge Mehta allowed allegations regarding Google steering search advertising dollars and restricting competitors’ access to Android to proceed to trial. (source)
Norway’s data protection authority, Datatilsynet, has announced that Meta Platforms, Facebook’s owner, will incur a daily fine of 1 million crowns ($98,500) starting from August 14 due to privacy breaches. (source)
TikTok is adjusting its algorithm in Europe to comply with the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA), disabling personalized feeds and ensuring users aged 13 to 17 won’t receive tailored ads based on online activities. These changes aim to meet the DSA’s requirements by its August 28th deadline. (source)
YouTube is testing a new anti-adblocker feature, displaying a timer indicating when the next ad will play for users with adblockers. This move aims to encourage non-paying viewers to either allow YouTube ads or upgrade to YouTube Premium, which offers an ad-free experience. (source)
Week 30
Week 30
Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA) and COPPA 2.0: these 2 bills aimed at safeguarding children on the internet were approved by the Senate Commerce Committee and will be sent to the Senate floor. (source)
California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA): The Superior Court of California ruled that businesses weren’t given enough time to comply with the California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA). The court didn’t delay the CPRA statute enforcement but did postpone individual regulations’ enforcement.
Despite the delay, existing California Consumer Protection Act (CCPA) regulations remain in effect. Companies are advised to monitor and comply with current and upcoming state laws, incorporate industry best practices like Privacy by Design, and gradually build privacy protections to meet evolving legislation requirements. (source – Week 29)
Week 29
Week 29
Google is progressively deploying its Privacy Sandbox APIs, designed to replace tracking cookies in the digital advertising ecosystem. The launch, timed to coincide with the release of Chrome 115 to the stable channel, will involve enabling the relevance and measurement APIs in the browser.
This process will be implemented gradually, with Google aiming for the APIs to be available to 99% of users by mid-August.
Attribution Reporting API for ad measurement: Third-party cookies (3PC), traditionally used for conversion measurement and attribution, are set to be deprecated in favour of privacy-focused alternatives. Chrome’s Attribution Reporting API (ARA), part of the Privacy Sandbox initiative, offers a solution for conversion measurement post-3PC deprecation.
Google Ads encourages ad-tech providers to adopt the ARA to maintain effective conversion measurement while prioritizing user privacy. The ARA provides event-level and aggregate summary reports, allowing a more comprehensive view of data. To adapt to a future without third-party cookies, ad-tech providers must adjust their current measurement protocols to incorporate ARA. (source)
TikTok Ad Transparency Library: TikTok launched an ad transparency library and expanded access to its research API in Europe, moves seen as compliance with incoming requirements under the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA).
(1) The research API offers researchers more transparency on TikTok’s platform and moderation system through public and anonymized data about content and activity on the app. TikTok’s move seems aimed at enhancing transparency and allowing robust study of systemic risks associated with major platforms.
(2) The Commercial Content Library provides data on ads and commercial content running in Europe, including who paid for the ad, targeting parameters, and data on views.
Meta’s behavioural ads banned in Norway: Norway’s data protection authority, the Datatilsynet, has issued a temporary ban on Meta’s behavioural advertising on Facebook and Instagram unless user consent is obtained. The order applies for three months and permits other forms of targeted advertising that don’t rely on tracking and profiling users. Meta could face fines of up to NOK 1 million (~$100,000) per day if it continues its current practices. (source)
Week 26
Week 26
YouTube is conducting a global experiment to deter viewers using ad blockers. Users with ad blockers enabled may receive a prompt warning that their video playback could be interrupted if they continue using the tool. The experiment aims to encourage viewers to either disable ad blockers or subscribe to YouTube Premium. (source)
The CNIL sanctioned Criteo, which specialises in online advertising, with a fine of EUR 40 million, in particular for failing to verify that the persons from whom it processed data had given their consent. (CNIL decision)
Amazon must turn over European Sales data in an antitrust suit. (source)
Week 25
Week 25
Gannett vs Google: the parent company of USA TODAY and other news publications, has filed a federal lawsuit against Google, accusing the company of violating antitrust and consumer protection laws in its digital advertising practices Gannett’s lawsuit follows similar legal action by state attorneys general, the Justice Department, and the European Union.. (source)
FTC vs Amazon: The FTC is suing Amazon over dark patterns in Prime subscriptions, using manipulative designs to trick users into enrolling and making cancellation processes complex. Screenshots in the document highlight the “dark pattern” aspect. This case holds significance in the study of dark patterns and is important for those working in the field. (source – Luiza Jarovsky)
Noyb vs TeleSign: noyb filed a complaint against TeleSign, a US company which profiled millions of phone users. TeleSign generates a “reputation score” and sells its services to various clients like TikTok, Microsoft or Salesforce. (source – Romain Robert)
Week 24
Week 24
EU Commission sends Statement of Objections to Google over abusive practices in online advertising technology. The European Commission has informed Google of its preliminary view that the company breached EU antitrust rules by distorting competition in the advertising technology industry (‘adtech’). (source)
Meta’s Ad Verification: In line with The EU Digital Services Act (DSA), which now requires Meta to provide more information on ad targeting, Meta’s adding new elements when EU targeting is selected, which will prompt advertisers to specify a ‘beneficiary’ and ‘payer’ for each campaign. (source)
“As part of our efforts to create transparency for businesses and people, and to respond to EU regulations, we will require advertisers to designate who benefits from their ads (beneficiary) and who is paying for their ads (payer) for all Facebook and Instagram ads which target the EU, associated territories, or select global/worldwide.”
Spotify was fined € 5 Million for GDPR violations by the Swedish Data Protection Authority (IMY) because the streaming Service did not properly answer requests for access to data and did not provide users with an easy way to exercise their right to access under Article 15 GDPR. (source / Romain Robert)
Week 20
Week 20
Meta was fined a record 1.2 billion euros ($1.3 billion) and ordered to stop transferring data collected from Facebook users in Europe to the United States, in a major ruling against the social media company for violating European Union data protection rules. (source)
Google announced that its Privacy Sandbox APIs, aimed at phasing out third-party web tracking cookies, will be available to Chrome users in July. The company outlined the upcoming steps for web developers to test and integrate the new system, with a broader deprecation of third-party cookies targeted for the second half of 2024. (source)
Google is gearing up to release the relevance and measurement APIs as part of its Privacy Sandbox project. The APIs, including Topics, Protected Audience, Attribution Reporting, Private Aggregation, Shared Storage, and Fenced Frames, aim to provide interest-based advertising and measurement capabilities without relying on third-party cookies or user identifiers. These APIs will gradually become available in Chrome Stable from late July 2023. (source)
What’s next? Starting in early 2024, Google plans to migrate 1% of Chrome users to Privacy Sandbox and disable third-party cookies for them. (source)
Google is introducing a new requirement for its partners to use a Google-certified Consent Management Platform (CMP) that integrates with IAB Europe’s Transparency and Consent Framework (TCF). This move aims to improve the consent experience, align with evolving user expectations, and support industry standards for transparency and consent in online advertising. The decision follows the finalization of TCF V2.2 and Google’s commitment to user privacy. (source)
Week 16
Week 16
As Chrome’s third-party cookie deprecation approaches, Google Ads and Display & Video 360 are experimenting with interest-based audience solutions that use privacy-preserving signals. These signals include contextual information from the Topics API from the Privacy Sandbox & 1P identifiers such as Publisher Provided IDs.
The experiment showed that interest-based audience solutions with privacy-preserving signals performed well compared to third-party cookies. Spending on IBA decreased by 2-7%, while conversions per dollar decreased by 1-3%. Click-through rates remained consistent. (source)
Google has renamed the FLEDGE API to “Protected Audience API” as it moves beyond the experimental phase. The change reflects the technology’s purpose to enhance user privacy while improving ad relevance and safeguarding audience data. Despite the new name, the underlying APIs and commands will remain the same to minimize disruption. (source)
Nine more states have joined the U.S. Department of Justice in a lawsuit against Google, alleging that the company violated antitrust regulations in its digital advertising business. (source)
Week 15
Week 15
Apple has changed the way that cookies set via A/AAAA DNS cloaking are classified: previously, they would be interpreted as first-party, but now, they’ll be viewed as third-party and limited to the same 7-day lifetime as other third-party cookies. (Eric Seufert – read more)
The CNIL, French Competition Authority, is likely to proceed with an antitrust investigation into Apple’s 2021 app tracking policy changes, accusing the company of illegal anticompetitive behaviour. The changes impacted the digital advertising world and led to significant revenue losses for rivals like Meta. (source)
Week 13
Week 13
Ads Transparency Center: Google is rolling out the Ads Transparency Center globally to help users easily learn more about the ads they see, including the advertiser, the ad format, and when it was last shown. Users can also access My Ad Center to like, block, or report ads. (source)
Google will require advertisers to complete one or more verification programs. Below are some examples of the verification programs we may ask you to complete. A more detailed list can be found here. (source)
Still, Meta aims to limit the impact of EU orders so that it only applies to EU users and allows demo/geo-targeting by default. Privacy rights group noyb plans to take legal action against Meta for this illegal practice. (source)
Other Updates:
- A bipartisan group of U.S. senators introduced a bill aimed at cutting Google and Facebook’s clout in online advertising, an early sign that lawmakers will press on with efforts to rein in Big Tech in the new Congress. (source)
- Italy has become the first Western country to block the advanced chatbot ChatGPT. (source)
- Google’s 2022 Ads Safety Report (source)
Week 7-8
Week 7-8
This week, policymakers will start finalizing the EU’s new Regulation on Political Ads. Whether this happens depends on a choice facing EU policymakers about how to define a “political ad” in the new law. (source)
Facebook started to include more details in the “Why am I seeing this ad?” feature incl. Information summarized into topics, new examples and illustrations and more ways to access Ads Preferences (source)
Week 3-4
Week 3-4
Alphabet was sued by the US Justice Department and eight states, calling for the break up of the search giant’s ad-technology business over alleged illegal monopolization of the digital advertising market. (source)
“The lawsuit we have filed today seeks to hold Google to account for what we allege are its longstanding monopolies in digital advertising technologies that content creators use to sell ads and advertisers use to buy ads on the open Internet,” said the Justice Department’s antitrust chief Jonathan Kanter
Meta is fighting back against a scraping-for-hire service and filed legal action against Voyager Labs in federal court in California.(source)
TikTok will label accounts run by entities whose editorial output or decision-making process is subject to control or influence by a government. (source)
Week 41
Week 41
Incorporating Reach & Frequency in Media Mix Models: Google researchers introduce a Reach and Frequency Media Mix Model (R&F MMM) as an extension to Geo-level Bayesian Hierarchical Media Mix Modeling (GBHMMM). The updated model aims to offer more accurate estimates of the impact of marketing efforts, considering the frequency and reach of ads across different channels. [source]
Enhanced Features in Google’s SGE – Draft Writing and Image Generation: Google’s Search Generative Experience (SGE) announced that users can create images through text prompts and write customizable drafts directly within Google. These updates aim to offer a more versatile conversational search experience and follow SGE’s previous enhancements, like AI-powered summaries and specialized search features. [source]
ChatGPT’s Vision: At the same time, OpenAI has opened its ChatGPT Vision to GPT-4 users, enabling the model to analyze and understand user-generated images. DALL-E. For example, Alfred Simon shared how ChatGPT Vision can create an essential product feed based on a single photo prompt. [source – post]
Week 38
Week 38
Bard To Give More Than One Response: Bard provides two draft responses and allows users to select a preferred draft, indicate no preference, or opt-out entirely. This enhancement collects valuable real-world feedback, continuously improving Bard’s response quality. [source]
DALL-E 3 Integrated into Bing Chat for Free: Microsoft announced that DALL-E 3, OpenAI’s advanced image-generating AI, will be accessible on Bing Chat. Previously a paid service, the tool allows users to create detailed, realistic images from textual descriptions. (Javier Gutiérrez)
ChatGPT Can Hear, See, and Speak: ChatGPT has introduced new features allowing users to engage in voice conversations and share images. Voice conversations enable interactive discussions, while image sharing enhances various tasks, all contributing to a more versatile user experience. [source]
Week 40
Week 40
Meta Negotiating for Ad-Free Subscription Model: Meta is reportedly discussing with the EU’s data protection regulators to introduce a $ 14-a-month ad-free subscription model. This move comes as the company seeks to align its ad practices with the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) after facing legal challenges for tracking and profiling users without valid consent. [source]
German authority nods to Google’s data control measures: The German antitrust regulator, Bundeskartellamt, has concluded its proceedings against Google, with the tech giant agreeing to offer users more control over their data. [source]
Amazon’s Secret Algorithm, Project Nessie: The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) filed a complaint against Amazon, alleging antitrust violations and hinting at Project Nessie‘s existence. The allegations are that the algorithm under Project Nessie reportedly boosted Amazon’s profits by artificially inflating prices across various categories until it was discontinued in 2019. [source]
€ 5.8 Million Fine Against Grindr Upheld: The Norwegian Privacy Appeals Board confirms a €5.8 million fine against Grindr for breaching the General Data Protection Regulation. This decision strongly conveys the implications of unauthorized data sharing in surveillance-based advertising. [source]
U.S. vs. Plaintiff States v. Google LLC Trial Documents: Delve deeper into the ongoing antitrust trial against Google, focusing on critical aspects such as the generalized second price auction (GSP). These downloadable PDF documents offer a thorough analysis of the case. [pdf 1 – pdf 2]
Week 39
Week 39
Landmark antitrust lawsuit against Amazon: The U.S. government, along with 17 states, has filed an antitrust lawsuit against Amazon, alleging that the e-commerce giant has harmed both shoppers and sellers on a massive scale. The lawsuit accuses Amazon of running an illegal monopoly, exploiting its dominant position to lock in sellers and shoppers, and artificially inflating prices. The case could lead to a breakup of Amazon and has implications for third-party sellers and online retail competition. [source]
Amazon wins interim stay on EU’s public ads archive requirement: Amazon has partially won the EU General Court against the Digital Services Act’s (DSA) requirement to make an ads library public. The court agreed that releasing this information could cause “serious and irreversible commercial harm” to Amazon. However, the court did not suspend the DSA’s requirement for Amazon to offer a non-profiling option for recommendations to its users. [source]
Apple rejected Microsoft’s bid for Bing despite higher offer: Microsoft’s CEO of Advertising and Web Services, Mikhail Parakhin, revealed that Apple rejected Microsoft’s proposal to make Bing its default search engine, despite offering more than Google. The decision implies that Google’s deal with Apple may not be solely financially motivated. Microsoft was willing to incur a significant short-term loss for the default search engine status, emphasizing its importance. [source]
Facebook becomes subject to legal action over biased ad algorithm: A California State Court of Appeals has ruled that Facebook can be sued for claims that its advertising algorithm is biased. This reverses a 2020 decision that protected Facebook under Section 230. [source]
Note: The case originated from allegations that Facebook’s algorithm did not show insurance ads to women and older people, potentially violating civil rights laws. The ruling could have implications for brands using Facebook’s ad tools, as they may unintentionally engage in discriminatory practices.
iOS17-like privacy is now part of MacOS Sonoma: Safari in macOS Sonoma introduces powerful features that enhance privacy and usability. Users can now create separate profiles for different purposes, making switching between work and personal browsing easy. Private Browsing offers improved protection against tracking techniques, and the ability to add websites to the dock provides a more app-like experience for frequently visited sites. [source]
Ask Meta AI: Meta has introduced new generative AI features, such as deleting information shared in any chat with an AI across Messenger, Instagram, or WhatsApp. As a note, Meta AI is also available when using the new Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses collection, a new competitor for Siri. [source]
Reddit now mandates personalised ads based on user’s activity: Reddit is making updates to improve user privacy and ad preferences that include more transparent privacy settings descriptions, the ability to limit ads from specific categories, consolidation of ad personalisation settings, and simplification of location customisation options. [source]
Week 38
Week 38
iOS17 launched by Apple: Apple’s iOS 17 update includes enhanced privacy in the Safari browser, with separate browsing profiles for work and personal use. It also increased protection against trackers and locking of Private Browsing when not in use. These changes can affect user tracking, targeting, and the effectiveness of personalised advertising efforts. [source] – [dive deeper]
“The iOS 17 updates will only remove GCLID parameters (and other ad parameters) from the URL in incognito mode. We are still determining if Apple will roll this out for regular browsing. Based on various sources, Safari’s estimated global user base is around 18-20%.” (Alfred Simon)
Google Faces landmark antitrust trial: The U.S. Justice Department has taken Google to court over allegations of anticompetitive behaviour related to its search engine. The 10-week trial could significantly change Google’s operations and the internet landscape. Here’s a comprehensive rundown of developments so far and their potential impact. [Official Statements]
Google admitted introducing RGSP System to Disrupt Ad Ranking Norms: This revelation, shared by Google Ad executive Jerry Dischler at a federal antitrust trial, has triggered debates about the integrity of Google’s Smart Bidding system.
With RGSP, “we flip them,” Dischler said. “Otherwise, Amazon always shows up on top.”
Without prior notice to advertisers, Google has increased ad and reserve pricing, in some instances, by up to 10%. Google introduced a new “RGSP” system, potentially called “Randomized Generalized Second Price“.
This could allow runner-up bidders to take the top ad slot, disrupting the traditional highest-bidder-wins model. This aims to support smaller advertisers dominated by big players with higher ad ranks, like Amazon or Booking, while fulfilling Google’s internal revenue objectives. [source] (Jason Kint)
Week 37
Week 37
EU fines TikTok €345 million for violating children’s data rules: The European Union has fined TikTok €345 million for mishandling the personal data of young users aged 13-17. The fine comes after an investigation by Ireland’s Data Protection Commission found that TikTok defaulted these profiles to public settings, allowing anyone to view and contact their content. [source]
Google pays $93 Million to settle California location-privacy lawsuit: Google has agreed to pay $93 million in a settlement with the California Department of Justice over allegations that it violated consumer protection laws by collecting location data without informed consent. [source]
As part of the settlement, Google will enhance transparency around its location tracking and clarify how user location data may be used for advertising.
iOS 17 officialised tracking URL removal: iOS 17 will allow users to strip tracking information from URLs even when not using the private browsing mode in Safari. Enabling this function ensures that all URLs opened will be free from additional tracking information, enhancing user privacy. [source]
Week 35
Week 35
Apple Ads Library: Apple has launched an Ads Library that allows users to view Apple-delivered ads for specific countries and regions. This new tool could provide valuable insights into competitor strategies or simply satisfy curiosity about the advertising landscape. [source] (Harriet Sewell)
Meta has updated its Ad Library. As part of the ‘European Union transparency’ initiative, users can now see specifics such as targeted locations, ages, genders, and reach metrics, and then open the ‘European Union transparency report for a particular ad. [see example]
X, formerly Twitter, has updated its privacy policy to include collecting users’ biometric data and employment and education history. The biometric data collection is aimed at premium users for added verification and security, while the employment and education data will be used for job recommendations and targeted advertising. These changes come amid a lawsuit alleging that X wrongfully collected biometric data of Illinois residents without consent. The new policy is set to take effect on September 29. [source]
X, formerly Twitter, has reversed its political advertising ban, which could impact the 2024 elections and potentially boost its ad revenue. While the company will enforce rules against misleading content and plans to create a “global advertising transparency centre,” the decision marks a significant shift from its previous stance that “political message reach should be earned, not bought.” [source]
Week 34
Week 34
Meta is facing criticism for approving Facebook ads that contained hate speech and calls for violence, according to a report by watchdog group Ekō. The allegations spotlight weaknesses in Meta’s content moderation systems just as the EU’s Digital Services Act, aimed at curbing such issues, is set to go into effect. (see report)
“Search Branded Content”: Meta has introduced a “Search Branded Content” feature in its Ads Library, allowing users to gain insights into competitor strategies, including their partnerships and campaign frequency. This new tool comes as the Digital Services Act is set to be enforced in the EU, putting more responsibility on large platforms to increase transparency. (test Branded content)
iOS 17 Link Tacking Protection: The latest iOS update is affecting ad click parameters, complicating offline conversion tracking. ( Joey Bidner, Brad Redding)
Personal Note: UTMs haven’t gone anywhere, and platforms like TikTok and Klaviyo are still holding strong. Apple is currently targeting hyper-granular tracking, which aims to identify the individual user journey.
This reinforces the importance of using enhanced conversions for leads on top of using offline imports, which rely on GCLIDs, and future solutions such as GBRAID will hopefully help in the near future.
Week 32
Week 32
The U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia has ruled on two antitrust lawsuits against Google, filed by the U.S. Department of Justice and 38 state Attorneys General. The lawsuits claim that Google’s practices breach Section 2 of the Sherman Act. Despite dismissing some claims, Judge Mehta allowed allegations regarding Google steering search advertising dollars and restricting competitors’ access to Android to proceed to trial. (source)
Norway’s data protection authority, Datatilsynet, has announced that Meta Platforms, Facebook’s owner, will incur a daily fine of 1 million crowns ($98,500) starting from August 14 due to privacy breaches. (source)
TikTok is adjusting its algorithm in Europe to comply with the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA), disabling personalized feeds and ensuring users aged 13 to 17 won’t receive tailored ads based on online activities. These changes aim to meet the DSA’s requirements by its August 28th deadline. (source)
YouTube is testing a new anti-adblocker feature, displaying a timer indicating when the next ad will play for users with adblockers. This move aims to encourage non-paying viewers to either allow YouTube ads or upgrade to YouTube Premium, which offers an ad-free experience. (source)
Week 30
Week 30
Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA) and COPPA 2.0: these 2 bills aimed at safeguarding children on the internet were approved by the Senate Commerce Committee and will be sent to the Senate floor. (source)
California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA): The Superior Court of California ruled that businesses weren’t given enough time to comply with the California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA). The court didn’t delay the CPRA statute enforcement but did postpone individual regulations’ enforcement.
Despite the delay, existing California Consumer Protection Act (CCPA) regulations remain in effect. Companies are advised to monitor and comply with current and upcoming state laws, incorporate industry best practices like Privacy by Design, and gradually build privacy protections to meet evolving legislation requirements. (source – Week 29)
Week 29
Week 29
Google is progressively deploying its Privacy Sandbox APIs, designed to replace tracking cookies in the digital advertising ecosystem. The launch, timed to coincide with the release of Chrome 115 to the stable channel, will involve enabling the relevance and measurement APIs in the browser.
This process will be implemented gradually, with Google aiming for the APIs to be available to 99% of users by mid-August.
Attribution Reporting API for ad measurement: Third-party cookies (3PC), traditionally used for conversion measurement and attribution, are set to be deprecated in favour of privacy-focused alternatives. Chrome’s Attribution Reporting API (ARA), part of the Privacy Sandbox initiative, offers a solution for conversion measurement post-3PC deprecation.
Google Ads encourages ad-tech providers to adopt the ARA to maintain effective conversion measurement while prioritizing user privacy. The ARA provides event-level and aggregate summary reports, allowing a more comprehensive view of data. To adapt to a future without third-party cookies, ad-tech providers must adjust their current measurement protocols to incorporate ARA. (source)
TikTok Ad Transparency Library: TikTok launched an ad transparency library and expanded access to its research API in Europe, moves seen as compliance with incoming requirements under the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA).
(1) The research API offers researchers more transparency on TikTok’s platform and moderation system through public and anonymized data about content and activity on the app. TikTok’s move seems aimed at enhancing transparency and allowing robust study of systemic risks associated with major platforms.
(2) The Commercial Content Library provides data on ads and commercial content running in Europe, including who paid for the ad, targeting parameters, and data on views.
Meta’s behavioural ads banned in Norway: Norway’s data protection authority, the Datatilsynet, has issued a temporary ban on Meta’s behavioural advertising on Facebook and Instagram unless user consent is obtained. The order applies for three months and permits other forms of targeted advertising that don’t rely on tracking and profiling users. Meta could face fines of up to NOK 1 million (~$100,000) per day if it continues its current practices. (source)
Week 26
Week 26
YouTube is conducting a global experiment to deter viewers using ad blockers. Users with ad blockers enabled may receive a prompt warning that their video playback could be interrupted if they continue using the tool. The experiment aims to encourage viewers to either disable ad blockers or subscribe to YouTube Premium. (source)
The CNIL sanctioned Criteo, which specialises in online advertising, with a fine of EUR 40 million, in particular for failing to verify that the persons from whom it processed data had given their consent. (CNIL decision)
Amazon must turn over European Sales data in an antitrust suit. (source)
Week 25
Week 25
Gannett vs Google: the parent company of USA TODAY and other news publications, has filed a federal lawsuit against Google, accusing the company of violating antitrust and consumer protection laws in its digital advertising practices Gannett’s lawsuit follows similar legal action by state attorneys general, the Justice Department, and the European Union.. (source)
FTC vs Amazon: The FTC is suing Amazon over dark patterns in Prime subscriptions, using manipulative designs to trick users into enrolling and making cancellation processes complex. Screenshots in the document highlight the “dark pattern” aspect. This case holds significance in the study of dark patterns and is important for those working in the field. (source – Luiza Jarovsky)
Noyb vs TeleSign: noyb filed a complaint against TeleSign, a US company which profiled millions of phone users. TeleSign generates a “reputation score” and sells its services to various clients like TikTok, Microsoft or Salesforce. (source – Romain Robert)
Week 24
Week 24
EU Commission sends Statement of Objections to Google over abusive practices in online advertising technology. The European Commission has informed Google of its preliminary view that the company breached EU antitrust rules by distorting competition in the advertising technology industry (‘adtech’). (source)
Meta’s Ad Verification: In line with The EU Digital Services Act (DSA), which now requires Meta to provide more information on ad targeting, Meta’s adding new elements when EU targeting is selected, which will prompt advertisers to specify a ‘beneficiary’ and ‘payer’ for each campaign. (source)
“As part of our efforts to create transparency for businesses and people, and to respond to EU regulations, we will require advertisers to designate who benefits from their ads (beneficiary) and who is paying for their ads (payer) for all Facebook and Instagram ads which target the EU, associated territories, or select global/worldwide.”
Spotify was fined € 5 Million for GDPR violations by the Swedish Data Protection Authority (IMY) because the streaming Service did not properly answer requests for access to data and did not provide users with an easy way to exercise their right to access under Article 15 GDPR. (source / Romain Robert)
Week 20
Week 20
Meta was fined a record 1.2 billion euros ($1.3 billion) and ordered to stop transferring data collected from Facebook users in Europe to the United States, in a major ruling against the social media company for violating European Union data protection rules. (source)
Google announced that its Privacy Sandbox APIs, aimed at phasing out third-party web tracking cookies, will be available to Chrome users in July. The company outlined the upcoming steps for web developers to test and integrate the new system, with a broader deprecation of third-party cookies targeted for the second half of 2024. (source)
Google is gearing up to release the relevance and measurement APIs as part of its Privacy Sandbox project. The APIs, including Topics, Protected Audience, Attribution Reporting, Private Aggregation, Shared Storage, and Fenced Frames, aim to provide interest-based advertising and measurement capabilities without relying on third-party cookies or user identifiers. These APIs will gradually become available in Chrome Stable from late July 2023. (source)
What’s next? Starting in early 2024, Google plans to migrate 1% of Chrome users to Privacy Sandbox and disable third-party cookies for them. (source)
Google is introducing a new requirement for its partners to use a Google-certified Consent Management Platform (CMP) that integrates with IAB Europe’s Transparency and Consent Framework (TCF). This move aims to improve the consent experience, align with evolving user expectations, and support industry standards for transparency and consent in online advertising. The decision follows the finalization of TCF V2.2 and Google’s commitment to user privacy. (source)
Week 16
Week 16
As Chrome’s third-party cookie deprecation approaches, Google Ads and Display & Video 360 are experimenting with interest-based audience solutions that use privacy-preserving signals. These signals include contextual information from the Topics API from the Privacy Sandbox & 1P identifiers such as Publisher Provided IDs.
The experiment showed that interest-based audience solutions with privacy-preserving signals performed well compared to third-party cookies. Spending on IBA decreased by 2-7%, while conversions per dollar decreased by 1-3%. Click-through rates remained consistent. (source)
Google has renamed the FLEDGE API to “Protected Audience API” as it moves beyond the experimental phase. The change reflects the technology’s purpose to enhance user privacy while improving ad relevance and safeguarding audience data. Despite the new name, the underlying APIs and commands will remain the same to minimize disruption. (source)
Nine more states have joined the U.S. Department of Justice in a lawsuit against Google, alleging that the company violated antitrust regulations in its digital advertising business. (source)
Week 15
Week 15
Apple has changed the way that cookies set via A/AAAA DNS cloaking are classified: previously, they would be interpreted as first-party, but now, they’ll be viewed as third-party and limited to the same 7-day lifetime as other third-party cookies. (Eric Seufert – read more)
The CNIL, French Competition Authority, is likely to proceed with an antitrust investigation into Apple’s 2021 app tracking policy changes, accusing the company of illegal anticompetitive behaviour. The changes impacted the digital advertising world and led to significant revenue losses for rivals like Meta. (source)
Week 13
Week 13
Ads Transparency Center: Google is rolling out the Ads Transparency Center globally to help users easily learn more about the ads they see, including the advertiser, the ad format, and when it was last shown. Users can also access My Ad Center to like, block, or report ads. (source)
Google will require advertisers to complete one or more verification programs. Below are some examples of the verification programs we may ask you to complete. A more detailed list can be found here. (source)
Still, Meta aims to limit the impact of EU orders so that it only applies to EU users and allows demo/geo-targeting by default. Privacy rights group noyb plans to take legal action against Meta for this illegal practice. (source)
Other Updates:
- A bipartisan group of U.S. senators introduced a bill aimed at cutting Google and Facebook’s clout in online advertising, an early sign that lawmakers will press on with efforts to rein in Big Tech in the new Congress. (source)
- Italy has become the first Western country to block the advanced chatbot ChatGPT. (source)
- Google’s 2022 Ads Safety Report (source)
Week 7-8
Week 7-8
This week, policymakers will start finalizing the EU’s new Regulation on Political Ads. Whether this happens depends on a choice facing EU policymakers about how to define a “political ad” in the new law. (source)
Facebook started to include more details in the “Why am I seeing this ad?” feature incl. Information summarized into topics, new examples and illustrations and more ways to access Ads Preferences (source)
Week 3-4
Week 3-4
Alphabet was sued by the US Justice Department and eight states, calling for the break up of the search giant’s ad-technology business over alleged illegal monopolization of the digital advertising market. (source)
“The lawsuit we have filed today seeks to hold Google to account for what we allege are its longstanding monopolies in digital advertising technologies that content creators use to sell ads and advertisers use to buy ads on the open Internet,” said the Justice Department’s antitrust chief Jonathan Kanter
Meta is fighting back against a scraping-for-hire service and filed legal action against Voyager Labs in federal court in California.(source)
TikTok will label accounts run by entities whose editorial output or decision-making process is subject to control or influence by a government. (source)