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Spotify will 'pause' airing political ads in early 2020
Spotify, not Facebook, has become the latest tech company to rethink its approach to political ads. Starting early next year, the streaming giant will stop running political ads. Spotify told Ad Age it will "pause" political advertising across both its free ad-supported tier and during any original podcasts it makes. The move will apply only to the US, since it's the one market in which Spotify currently airs such advertisements. Third-party podcasts will still be able to embed political ads in their recordings as long as they adhere to Spotify's content policy.
NBC's Peacock streaming service may charge $10 for ad-free viewing
NBCUniversal's Peacock service might be free for some viewers, but the network also appears willing to charge money for the ad-averse. The Information tipsters claim that NBC is mulling a $10 ad-free tier as well as a $5 plan with limited ads. That would provide more flexibility and lower prices than Hulu, which has no free tier and starts at $6 per month for limited ads. Of course, Hulu isn't just limited to one broadcaster's content -- you're paying more to get more.
Ads on Facebook are spreading misinformation about anti-HIV drugs
While many are focused on Facebook's unwillingness to curb false political ads, there appears to be another misinformation campaign going unchecked. The Guardian and GLAAD have noted that personal injury law firms continue to run Facebook ads making false claims about the risks of Truvada, a drug meant to reduce the likelihood of HIV transmission. Some float the specters of bone loss and kidney damage despite evidence that the risks of either are "not clinically significant," according to the San Francisco AIDS Foundation.
A bug caused UK election ad spend data to disappear on Facebook
Earlier this week, an unspecified bug caused as many hundreds of thousands of political ads to disappear from Facebook's Ad Library, a tool the company rolled out globally earlier this year to provide more transparency on political spending. According to CNN Business, the bug caused ads to go missing in several countries across the world, including the UK.
AT&T starts showing pause ads with motion on DirecTV (updated)
Since the end of last year, reports indicated that AT&T was planning to add pause ads to its video platforms. According to Variety, the telecom has flipped the switch. AT&T is currently testing the ads on DirecTV, its satellite TV service, and "other" video platforms it owns. They're also more like traditional ads than the pause ads you might see on Hulu. Variety initially reported that they include both sound and motion, though since this article was originally published, AT&T clarified to Engadget that these ads would not include audio. They'll start playing 30 seconds after you stop a video to take a break.
YouTube changes rules on violent game content to match movies and TV
YouTube is making a significant change in how it will moderate content that shows video game violence. Starting today, the company says it will treat "scripted or simulated" violence in games the same way that it approaches violence in TV shows and movies.
EU investigates Google data collection practices
No, European antitrust regulators still aren't done looking into Google's practices. The European Commission told Reuters in a statement that it's conducting a "preliminary investigation" into Google's data collection. While it didn't go into detail, a leaked document indicated that the focuses were on local search, ads (including ad targeting), sign-in services and web browsers, among "others." It's covering the core of Google's businesses, to put it another way.
YouTube will make it easier for 'edgy' creators to find advertisers
YouTube has a tricky job of making sure ads don't show up alongside videos promoting extremist, hateful views or violence, yet also making sure it doesn't strip creators, who may post things like violent video game scenes, of their revenue-earning potential. In an attempt to get better at that, YouTube is experimenting with ways to match "edgy" videos with advertisers who are okay with content that's not totally PG.
Facebook may restrict highly targeted political ads
Facebook may be reluctant to overhaul key parts of its political ad policies, but it appears willing to make a few changes to stop the spread of misinformation. Wall Street Journal sources say Facebook is mulling a ban on political ads that target small audiences (aka microtargeted ads) -- a common tactic for those spreading false claims. It would bump the minimum target size for a political ad from 100 people to a "few thousand," according to the tipsters. While it's not clear how close Facebook is to shifting its policy, the social network has reportedly asked large Democrat and Republican ad buyers for input on that minimum and "other ideas."
Google bans political ad targeting by affiliation and voter records
Google is the latest internet giant to rethink its approach to political ads. The company is limiting the targeting options for election ads to age, gender and general location. US advertisers will no longer be allowed to target based on political leanings or public voting records, for example. The new strategy will take effect in the UK next week (just before the country's General Election), in the EU by the end of 2019, and all other countries by January 6th, 2020.
Snapchat fact-checks political ads where Facebook won't
Snapchat may have another way to compete against rival apps like Instagram: truth in advertising. Snap chief Evan Spiegel told CNBC in an interview that his company has a team that fact-checks all political advertising -- a sharp contrast to Facebook, which has refused to verify the accuracy of political ads so far. The company wants to "create a place" for these ads, Spiegel said, and it's particularly important given Snapchat's young audience. It wants these people to "engage with the political conversation," but it doesn't want false claims to slip into those ads.
Twitter's political ad ban will also curb ads for hot-button issues
Twitter has finally outlined how its ban on political ads will work, and it's considerably clearer -- if not as clear as some would like. When the ban takes effect on November 22nd, it'll bar ads for anything referring to candidates, parties, existing officials, legislation, regulation, ballot measures and referendums. They also can't rally for votes or financial help. Politicians effectively can't run ads, in other words. It also forbids ads from PACs and other organizations that fuel campaigns. However, the bigger changes for some may involve new policies limiting "cause-based advertising" on the social network.
Brave says 8.7 million people use its privacy-focused browser every month
Almost four years after its first release, privacy-focused web browser Brave is officially launching. Starting today, you can download version 1.0 of Brave on Android and iOS, as well as on Windows 10, macOS and Linux. With Brave 1.0, you can now use the company's opt-in ad platform and enroll in Brave Rewards on both iPhone and iPad. In short, this is the release where you can seamlessly use almost all of Brave's marquee features across all platforms.
Even on YouTube you're not safe from Google Shopping ads
With the holidays approaching, YouTube is about to get even more cluttered with advertisements. You'll soon start to see Google Shopping ads in your YouTube search results and homefeed. Even if you don't know them by name, you're probably familiar with how Google Shopping ads work. They pop up almost anytime you search on Google. They're particularly prone to show up if you look for something like clothing or electronics.
Uber Eats might start showing ads, too
You might soon see ads while you're looking for dinner in Uber Eats. The company recently posted a job listing, first spotted by TechCrunch, for an Uber Eats Ads Lead, and a spokesperson confirmed that Uber is exploring bringing relevant ads to Eats. So, while you're deciding where to order from, Uber could be tossing a few paid suggestions at you.
Disney+ is boosting its library by running a Starz ad (update)
When you first launch Disney+ after it becomes available next early week, you might find something that wasn't supposed to be there. According to The Verge, the streaming service will show some subscribers an ad promoting premium TV channel Starz after they finish the initial sign-up process. Disney confirmed to Engadget that the one-time promo will be shown to some users once they finish signing up for the service and entering payment details.
Facebook will let politicians run false ads during UK elections
Facebook's policy of allowing politicians to run false ads is going to get tested in short order. CNN Business has confirmed that the social network won't fact-check candidates' ads in the weeks ahead of the UK election on December 12th. It will bar candidates from linking to debunked or pro-violence material, and will still scrutinize groups like Leave.EU, but voters will have to rely on skepticism beyond that.
The writer of ‘The Social Network’ rails on Zuckerberg in open letter
Aaron Sorkin, the screenwriter of The Social Network, has become the latest high-profile individual to criticize Facebook for its policy on political ads. In a new open letter addressed to Mark Zuckerberg and published in The New York Times, Sorkin relates how sensitive Facebook was about the biopic when he wrote it almost 10 years ago.
Mark Zuckerberg still won't ban 'political' ads from Facebook
For the better part of the past four years, Facebook just hasn't been able to keep its name out of the bad news cycle. The latest backlash the company is facing has to do with its political ad policies, which essentially allow politicians to spread misinformation on the site. CEO Mark Zuckerberg addressed the topic during Facebook's Q3 2019 earnings call today, saying he doesn't agree with "critics" who claim the company won't ban these controversial ads because "all we care about is money." Zuckerberg said ads from politicians will be less than 0.5 percent of Facebook's revenue this year, noting that the $5 billion FTC fine was more than 10 times more costly for the company.
Twitter will put a stop to political ads on November 22nd
Twitter has found a way to get around the ethical questions surrounding political ads: like TikTok, it's getting rid of them entirely. Jack Dorsey has announced that the social network is stopping all political ads outside of non-partisan exceptions (such as voter registration), whether they come from candidates or interest groups. It'll provide the finished policy on November 15th, and will start enforcing it on November 22nd.