ftc

Reddit is surging with advertiser demand; not everyone is Substack material; and Trump released his AI Action Plan.

Critics say the FTC’s deal with OMG/IPG prohibits agency practices that don’t exist. And it distracts from legitimate concerns about brand safety news blocking and principal media.

Whatever your take on the FTC’s oddly conditional green light for the Omnicom/IPG merger, one thing’s clear: The agency is being more active than expected.

The FTC puts some odd stipulations on Omnicom-IPG; influencer marketing is the new normal; Google is cutting its smart TV group.

Going For The Cinematic Effect; Do The Youngs Shop Google?; X Marks The Spot

AI-generated mystery pages are appearing on brand sites; Amazon Prime Video doubles its ad load; and bipartisan efforts to protect kids online get a new partisan focus under the Trump admin.

Google’s pivot on IP addresses shows it fears competition; the FTC investigates media watchdogs for advising brands not to spend on X; and Mondelez accuses Aldi of copying its snacks.

CTV ad platform MNTN has gone public; last week, the FTC dismissed a lawsuit brought against PepsiCo; the new US budget bill might ban state regulation of AI.

Criteo dives into video ads; after 20 years, YouTube might be the world’s biggest media brand; Threads opens up for advertising.

Using pejorative labels, like “surveillance advertising,” does “nothing to help us understand the practice,” says Christopher Mufarrige, the newly appointed director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection.