Digest: Ireland pushes for Big Tech to Vet Financial Ads; Warner Bros. Discovery Considers Split as Financial Loss Continues

In today’s Digest, Ireland pushes for Big Tech to vet financial ads, Warner Bros. Discovery explores a split, and Threads begins testing video ads.

Ireland pushes for Big Tech to Vet Financial Ads

Ireland is leading a push within the European Union to require Big Tech platforms to verify the legitimacy of financial services advertisers, in a bid to combat the rising volume of online payment scams. The proposal, seen by the Financial Times, would limit financial advertising on platforms like Meta and X to registered service providers. With consumer losses from fraud running into billions of euros annually, the EU is under mounting pressure to deliver stricter safeguards and Ireland’s proposal signals a growing appetite to hold digital platforms accountable for their role in the fraud ecosystem.

Ireland’s amendment also coincides with Brussels’ plans to introduce automatic reimbursement rights for consumers defrauded via platforms such as PayPal, Visa and Mastercard. The proposal would require platforms to actively screen for and block scam content before it reaches users. 

Warner Bros. Discovery Considers Split as Financial Loss Continues

Warner Bros. Discovery is reportedly considering a split that would separate its streaming and studio divisions from its struggling linear TV business. Industry chatter suggests a formal announcement may be on the horizon, as internal conversations point to mounting pressure to restructure amid a shifting media landscape.

Insiders note that the company’s current organisational structure may already hint at the shape of the split: streaming operations run under the distinct Max brand, while studio and global linear network segments are reported separately in earnings disclosures. 

In the first quarter of 2025, the media conglomerate narrowed its net loss to USD$453m (£362m), down from USD$966m (£770m) a year earlier. The company added more than five million subscribers across its streaming platforms, yet total revenue fell 10% year-on-year to USD$8.97bn (£7.1bn), reflecting continued erosion across its advertising and distribution businesses.

Threads to Begin Testing Video Ads

Meta has announced that Threads will begin testing video ads, marking a new phase in the app’s monetisation strategy. The update was revealed during the company’s presentation at the IAB NewFronts on Thursday (8th May). The move comes just weeks after Threads opened its platform to global advertisers. To test video ads, a limited group of advertisers will begin trialling vertical (19:9) and square (1:1) video ad formats, which will appear between organic posts in the Threads feed.

The test signals Meta’s continued effort to position Threads as a competitive alternative to X. However, the company did not disclose specific details on ad pricing or frequency.