The Stack: Ad Tech Faces Major Shake Up

Major tech companies are under intense scrutiny this week, with legal and regulatory developments unfolding. In today’s MadTech Daily, we explore Meta’s decision to open Threads’ ad platform to global advertisers, reports that OpenAI has shown interest in acquiring Google Chrome, and a new statement from Meta’s Oversight Board, which claims the company “hastily” altered its content moderation policy.

Google’s advertising technology business is at the centre of a landmark antitrust case, with a federal judge ruling that the company monopolised the open web display publisher ad server market via DFP, and the ad exchange market through AdX. 

Meanwhile, the European Commission has imposed its first major penalties under the Digital Markets Act (DMA), fining Apple €500m (£428m) and Meta €200m (£171m) for failing to meet the obligations set out by the landmark regulation aimed at curbing Big Tech dominance.

Adding to Meta’s regulatory troubles, an internal email revealed during a US antitrust trial showed that CEO Mark Zuckerberg had once considered spinning off Instagram, citing concerns that antitrust pressure could eventually force a breakup. The disclosure adds fuel to the ongoing debate over whether platform consolidation stifles competition.
Finally, Ofcom is preparing to roll out new measures under the Online Safety Act, aimed at protecting children from adult content online. The measures will apply to social media, search, and gaming platforms and will require companies to either remove or age-gate pornographic and “legal but harmful” content.