The Friday Five: DSA breaches, Google's AI Overviews, and Reddit launches leaderboard
Hello again!?
It feels like just yesterday we were bringing you the latest edition of the Friday Five with all the most important updates of the digital marketing world. How time flies!?
Before you wrap up your week and dive into the weekend, allow us to present a quick round-up of this week's most significant marketing updates. From the latest insights into Google's AI advancements to potential DSA breaches.
Without further ado, let’s get into it...
1. AI all in?
It’s no secret that Google has a bit of a penchant for AI, probably because of how much easier it makes all of our lives when it comes to online search queries. This week we’ve seen Google starting to roll out “AI Overviews”. Through this search-generative experience, Google can basically fill in the blanks for you when you’re browsing the web.?
Announcing the newest features of AI Overviews at its I/O developer conference last Tuesday, Google has promised links to resources for more information and a new planning tool that can build a tailored trip itinerary for you from just one search. With the new Lens feature, you can search by capturing a video and AI will even organise the search results page for you so that you don’t accidentally end up in a fast food place for date night!?
Using its new Gemini AI model, Google is summarising the web to show you an answer by redesigning and repopulating the results page. However, Liz Reid, Google’s head of Search has suggested that for some searches, such as finding a local supermarket or accessing a specific URL, this much AI could be a bit overkill.?
Though, Reid has suggested that this new Gemini model could be useful for local search which helps you find the best amenities near you, based on ratings and walking distance.?
2. Ads adding confusion for podcast listeners?
The Committee of Advertising Practice (CAP) have announced that ads need to be more ‘clear and upfront’ in response to podcast listeners who are finding it hard to distinguish between podcasters’ own content and additional ads.?
Part of the problem is that some listeners feel like the intimate para-social relationship they develop with the podcast host - more so than with other forms of media -? is wrongly made to seem ‘transactional’ through phrases like ‘partnered with’ or ‘brought to you by’. More like brought to you to buy!?
CAPs latest guidance will take effect from August 2024. It includes things like 'marketing communications must not falsely claim or imply that the marketer is acting as a consumer' and a list of suggestions for how to distinguish an ad from the podcast’s topical content.?
Many podcast listeners have also expressed an appreciation for clear signals of advertising such as musical jingles at the beginning and end of paid content to separate the editorial from the ad.?
3. Customer complaints indicate Temu’s breach of the EU’s DSA?
Temu, the cost-effective e-commerce platform known for trend dupes and accessible fast fashion, has been accused of breaching the EU’s DSA (Digital Services Act) thanks to coordinated customer complaints. Allegedly, Temu has been falling short on trader traceability requirements, rules against manipulative design which can lead to compulsive consumerism, and transparency around product recommender algorithms.?
The complaint about Temu’s breach was filed by The European Consumer Organisation BEUC (from the French name Bureau Européen des Unions de Consommateurs) with the European Commission. BEUC called for the urgent designation of Temu as a “very large online platform” (VLOP), sort of like the advertising equivalent of cancel culture.?
Monique Goyens, the director general at BEUC, has accused Temu of a whole host of 'manipulative techniques' which induce customers to spend more without providing sufficient information about traders.?
The consumer protection groups have also raised concerns about the potential risk Temu presents to children’s safety due to the platform’s child-friendly features. According to Internet Matters, despite Temu’s Terms of Service specifying that products are 'intended for sale to adults', the Temu app only has a ‘4+’ rating on Apple’s App Store.?
Temu has responded to complaints by claiming “newcomer” status as it continues to adjust how it operates in line with local expectations and guidelines.?
4. Meta’s addictive designs are cause for concern for child safety
After we reported last Friday that Ofcom’s Online Safety Act was tightening regulations to prevent children from seeing harmful content on social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram, Meta is under fire again this week. This time it’s not so much the content as the platforms’ “addictive design” which is causing a stir.?
Ever since Aza Raskin, the inventor of “infinite scroll” released his invention, he’s been apologising for it, estimating that infinite scrolling wastes over 200,000 human lifetimes daily. Now, senior Commission officials have revealed to journalists that they’re concerned this addictive design feature is creating a “rabbit hole effect” as minors are stuck in a constant stream of new content as a result of the platforms’ algorithmic recommendations.?
In January of this year, Meta vowed to “hide more sensitive content from teenagers on Instagram and Facebook”. However, in an article published by Tech Crunch this week, it was reported that? Commission officials provided examples of “depression content” that could be negatively impacting the mental health of minors due to a lack of effective “age gates”.?
As a result, Meta is due to undergo in-depth investigations to assess the platforms’ approaches to adequate child protection measures.?
5. Think you’ve Reddit all? Think again with the reintroduction of Reddit’s award systems?
Last September Reddit did away with its award system, causing confusion and even some outrage amongst the Reddit community, to make way for their Reddit Contributor Program. Now, less than a year later, the company is said to be reintroducing the awards system with a new design - and a new leaderboard.?
The change has likely come about since Reddit became a public company, firmly establishing itself in the Stock Exchange and developing a successful IPO (Initial Public Offering) strategy so that it could invest in key areas for growth.?
And, unlike social media platforms Instagram and Facebook this week, Reddit has added safeguards to its award system. These include disabling awards in NSFW subreddits, trauma and addiction support subreddits, and those which include mature content.?
And that’s it for this week! We hope you found this Friday Five informative and entertaining. Have a lovely weekend! Want to discuss any articles further or have any questions, then get in touch with our team.