Fried Bids, Digital News - 12-18 Feb 2024
This is my personal selection of the most interesting articles published from 12th-18th Feb 2024. Let me know what you think in the comments. If you want to receive the 50+ news full newsletter, please reach me through Direct Message.
Meta recently issued an apology to advertisers due to an Ads Delivery outage that resulted in campaigns overspending by "thousands." Although full refunds are not guaranteed for affected advertisers, there are steps that can be taken to increase the likelihood of receiving a refund. Advertisers are urged to report the issue to their Meta representatives and file a report with Meta support, providing details of the overspending and the inefficiency caused by the outage. Screenshots showing the performance issues should be uploaded, along with a polite response to support questions. Advertisers affected by the Meta Ads Delivery outage have expressed their frustration, with some claiming to have lost thousands of dollars in just minutes.
Google has announced the rollout of new search features in Europe to comply with the European Union's Digital Markets Act (DMA). These features include carousel-style rich results for travel, local services, and shopping queries, as well as aggregator units that showcase links to major aggregator websites. Additionally, refinement chips will allow users to narrow down their search results. Google is also testing a separate unit for flight-related searches, making it easier for users to find flight details. These changes aim to provide users with rich and relevant information while improving the visibility of ecosystem participants. These features are exclusively available to users in the European Economic Area (EEA) and are part of Google's efforts to create a more user-focused and competitive digital market in compliance with the DMA.
According to a report from the nonprofit Tech Transparency Project (TTP), it has been alleged that X has been selling premium subscriptions, including blue checkmarks, to individuals and organizations subject to US sanctions, such as Hezbollah, a designated terrorist organization. This revelation raises concerns about the responsibility of social media platforms in vetting users, especially after a recent Supreme Court ruling that X was not liable for supporting a terrorist attack. TTP identified several verified accounts, including Hezbollah's leader Hassan Nasrallah, Iran state news outlet Press TV, and the son of the late Libyan dictator Moammar Gadhafi. While X did not comment on the report, it appears that most of the verifications have been removed, except for Press TV and Tinkoff Bank.
YouTube has introduced three new features aimed at enhancing user experience and boosting conversions. The first feature is live stream product tagging, which allows creators in the YouTube Shopping Affiliate program to tag products from participating merchants in their live streams, videos, and Shorts. This enables a more visible way for viewers to shop and potentially increases conversion rates. The second feature is post-only feeds, which provide users with a dedicated feed of posts from channels they have engaged with before, as well as recommended posts curated by YouTube. Lastly, YouTube now allows creators to upload videos and Shorts directly from their mobile devices, streamlining the content upload process and saving creators valuable time.
The Trade Desk, the industry's largest independent demand-side platform (DSP), is expanding its OpenPath initiative to include connected TV (CTV). OpenPath integrates directly with publishers, potentially bypassing supply-side platforms. The Trade Desk has now begun negotiations with CTV media owners, with Cox Media Group and Vizio already confirmed as trading their CTV inventory on the platform. The Trade Desk aims to position itself as the go-to platform for CTV, capitalizing on the opportunities in this space. While there were concerns about consolidation in the industry, subsequent developments, such as partnerships with Magnite and Yahoo, suggest a more nuanced approach to OpenPath's rollout. The Trade Desk is carefully navigating the politics of the situation, aiming to collaborate with both DSPs and SSPs for now.
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Early adopters of Apple's Vision Pro headsets are starting to return them, citing comfort, headaches, and eye strain as the main reasons. Social media has seen an increase in users expressing their intention to return the $3,500 headsets, as Apple allows returns within 14 days of purchase. Complaints include discomfort caused by the weight and strap design of the device, as well as motion sickness. Some users even reported burst blood vessels and redness in their eyes. The lack of a killer app and limited productivity features relative to the high price are also common grievances. However, it remains uncertain how widespread this issue is and how it will impact Apple's Vision Pro going forward.
Google has responded to a report from the IAB Tech Lab criticizing its Privacy Sandbox initiative. The report claims that the Privacy Sandbox could hinder the effectiveness of ads and put smaller brands and media companies at a competitive disadvantage. Google argues that the report contains inaccuracies and fails to acknowledge the broader goal of the Privacy Sandbox, which is to improve user privacy while still enabling effective digital advertising. The company emphasizes that the Privacy Sandbox APIs are not meant to directly replace third-party cookies or cross-site identifiers, but rather to provide building blocks for privacy-enhancing advertising solutions. Google plans to continue with its plans to phase out third-party cookies, subject to addressing concerns raised by regulatory authorities.
Google Analytics 4 has introduced a new consent mode setting section, which is now available for all users worldwide. This addition comes in response to the forthcoming enforcement of Google's EU User Consent Policy (EU UCP), which will require advertisers to provide verifiable consent signals if they wish to serve personalized ads in the UK and European Economic Area (EEA). The new consent mode setting section aims to simplify and expedite the process of confirming that consent mode v2 is effectively transmitting consent signals to web streams. It provides helpful guides and links to certified Consent Management Platforms (CMPs) for easy setup. Advertisers in the EEA and the UK need to implement solutions like consent mode to ensure uninterrupted functionality of audience and measurement tools like GA4 amidst upcoming regulatory changes and the deprecation of third-party cookies.
The European Union's Digital Services Act (DSA) is set to expand its tough new moderation rules to cover a significant portion of the internet. Starting on February 17th, the regulations will apply to all online platforms with users in the EU, in addition to the 19 Very Large Online Platforms (VLOPs) and Very Large Online Search Engines (VLOSEs) that have already been required to comply since last August. This expansion means that thousands of online platforms, including well-known names like eBay and OnlyFans, will now be subject to the DSA's obligations. The rules include banning targeted ads to underage users based on their personal data and prohibiting targeting based on sensitive data such as sexual preferences or religious beliefs. The DSA aims to create a safer and more transparent online world, with fines of up to 6% of annual turnover for non-compliance.
OpenAI has unveiled its latest AI model called Sora, which is a text-to-video generation model. Sora is designed to create realistic and imaginative scenes based on text instructions provided by users. This innovative model can generate photorealistic videos up to one minute in length, featuring complex scenes with multiple characters, specific types of motion, and accurate details of the subject and background. The model can generate videos based on still images, fill in missing frames in existing videos, and extend their duration. While Sora may have some limitations in accurately simulating the physics of complex scenes, the overall results are impressive. However, there are concerns about the consequences of AI-generated photorealistic videos being mistaken for real footage.
IAB Europe has released its annual 'State of Readiness - Sustainability in Digital Advertising' Report for 2024, providing key insights into the progress made by businesses in reducing their carbon footprint and improving sustainable practices in the digital advertising industry. The report reveals that the majority of companies have started their journey towards CO2e reduction, with 70% of businesses actively working on sustainability initiatives. The report also emphasizes the importance of external verification, the drivers for sustainability being corporate social responsibility and client expectations, and the need for further education and transparency within the industry.
Data Centre Engineer
9 个月Impressive lineup of stories, can't wait to read more from you! ??
AI Educator | Learn AI Easily With Your Friendly Guide | Built a 100K+ AI Community for AI Enthusiasts (AI | ChatGPT | Tech | Marketing Pro)
9 个月Thanks for the update! Your dedication to keeping us informed is truly appreciated. Andrea Girelli
Digital Marketing Strategist | Helping Clients Reduce CAC by 30% While Increasing Sales by 34% Through Data-Driven Digital Marketing Strategies
9 个月Great job summarizing the top stories! Looking forward to the next update. ??