Video

Microsoft kills free Prebid Cache publishers rely on for video ads

Microsoft deprecates public Prebid Cache on April 30, 2026, affecting 60% of configured endpoints as publishers scramble for alternatives to maintain video delivery.

Data

Vietnam implements comprehensive personal data decree on final day of 2025

Vietnam issues sweeping data protection implementation decree December 31, setting strict compliance requirements for digital businesses processing personal information.

AI

Blocking AI crawlers backfired: news publishers lost 23% of traffic

Large language models reshaped news consumption patterns starting in August 2024, but publishers who blocked AI bots experienced worse outcomes than those who didn't, according to research published December 31, 2025, by Rutgers Business School and The Wharton School.

Audio

Shadow library scraped 86 million Spotify tracks for preservation

Anna's Archive distributed 256 million Spotify metadata rows and 86 million audio files totaling 300 terabytes, representing 99.6% of platform listens.

Data

Honey co-founder Ryan Hudson defends extension amid fraud detection allegations

Ryan Hudson rebuts allegations against Honey's affiliate practices while launching ZeroClick AI ad network, as investigation exposes detection evasion system.

AI

IAB Tech Lab CEO warns industry chasing 'shiny pennies' in agentic AI

IAB Tech Lab CEO Anthony Katsur warns advertising industry must fix transparency and privacy issues before embracing agentic AI during 2025's hectic pace.

Marketing

When LEGO abandoned open creativity for licensed franchise merchandising

Marketing consultant questions LEGO's shift from open-ended building blocks to licensed IP sets, sparking debate about retail economics versus imagination.

Search

Google's December 2025 core update finally wraps after 18 days

Google completes its third core update of 2025 on December 29 after an 18-day rollout marked by significant ranking volatility and traffic losses for publishers.

AI

How Google's AI agent will change search forever

Marie Haynes explains how Google is becoming an AI agent, not a search engine—and what this fundamental shift means for SEO professionals and marketers.

Social

Marketing O'Clock crowns industry leaders in 2025 Clockscars ceremony

Digital marketing podcast recognizes Anthony Higman, Glenn Gabe, and Barry Schwartz while celebrating memes, rants, and platform battles that defined advertising technology's most tumultuous year.

AI

Why AI might create more marketing jobs, not fewer

As AI tools become more efficient, a 19th-century economic principle suggests demand for marketing work could increase rather than decline.

AI

Slowing down becomes marketers' secret weapon in the AI speed race

Dan Koe argues AI democratization makes slowing down the new competitive advantage as marketing automation creates efficiency without strategic depth.

AI

Microsoft CEO admits Copilot integrations "don't really work" as adoption falters

Satya Nadella told managers Copilot's Gmail and Outlook connections "don't really work" and are "not smart" while taking hands-on role to fix AI assistant problems.

AI

What Ahrefs' fake brand experiment actually proved about AI search

Ahrefs tested AI platforms with misinformation about a fictional brand on December 10. Search Engine Journal's critique revealed what the experiment really demonstrated.

Data

Nielsen teams with XR to automate measurement tagging for advertisers

Nielsen and Extreme Reach integrate to streamline campaign delivery with automated Nielsen ONE ad tags embedded directly in XR's platform.

Social

Why LinkedIn says building "owned prominence" beats rented ads in B2B marketing

LinkedIn's B2B Institute research shows branded searches deliver $12.99 ROAS versus $0.68 for generic terms, as AI-driven discovery reshapes marketing strategies.

Search

Google deploys Gemini 3 in search with model-designed interfaces

Google integrates Gemini 3 frontier model into search on December 18, 2025, enabling dynamic interface generation and real-time simulations for complex queries across millions of users.

Data

Google and Apple face Japan's toughest mobile platform rules yet

Japan enforces Mobile Software Competition Act on December 17, requiring Google and Apple to allow alternative app stores and payment systems with strict compliance rules.

Display

Google's alcohol advertising policy relies on two unchangeable rules

Google Ads requires alcohol advertisers to avoid targeting minors and only target approved locations. ABV limits vary by country with a 7-day warning before suspension.

Video

Smart TV home screens now drive more movie decisions than trailers

LG Ad Solutions study finds 96% of viewers say home screen ads influence theater decisions, while 67% rent movies after seeing promotions on TV screens.

Social

Innovid's new features changed how social ads get managed across 7 platforms

Innovid announced social advertising enhancements on December 17, 2025, adding Reddit support and Meta's Opportunity Score to streamline cross-platform campaigns.

AI

AI takes first steps onto television home screens for nonprofit advertising

Magnite deploys first AI-generated home screen ads on LG and TCL, lowering creative barriers for nonprofits entering streaming TV advertising markets.

AI

Google Discover feeds users AI and YouTube while publishers watch traffic vanish

Data from Marfeel reveals Google Discover transformed into an AI platform, with 51% of feed positions now occupied by AI Summaries in test markets, while YouTube absorbs the majority of default exits.

AI

One-third of YouTube Shorts feed now consists of AI-generated slop

New research reveals 33% of YouTube Shorts shown to new users are brainrot content, while 21% are AI-generated slop, as machine-made videos flood the platform.

Social

Snapchat's new in-app editing tool lets users skip the learning curve

Snapchat announced Quick Cut on December 17, a lens-powered video creation tool that eliminates traditional editing workflows for iOS users.