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Found 113 results

  1. Chasethebase
    YouTube appears to be slowing itself down upon detecting ad blockers by Steve Bennett As Google continues to wage war on ad-blocking users who access YouTube, a recent discovery has been made that the site itself will load significantly slower and almost freeze upon detecting an ad blocker. Similar to previous attempts to slow down the site and the introduction of prompts to disable ad blockers, which will prevent viewing of content until the user does so, this change has been discovered to be increasing CPU load for the site, which disappears as soon as the page is reloaded without an ad blocker enabled. In a thread on the YouTube subreddit, users noticed that not just the site but video buffering was slowed with an aim to make YouTube unusable when accessed while ad-blocking software is enabled. An unintended side effect of these changes is that it's causing crashes within another Google product, Google Chrome. https://www.reddit.com/r/youtube/comments/195octe/youtube_started_slowing_video_buffer_with_adblock/ Tests by PCGamer have shown that when YouTube is open with AdBlock enabled, CPU load on the author's specific machine is increased by approximately 17% compared to when the add-on is disabled. Additionally, even when users have YouTube Premium subscriptions, the slowdown still happens, with tests still producing an approximate 15-18% CPU load increase. Google, and therefore YouTube, have declined to comment on the recent discoveries. However, given the implementation of a deliberate five-second delay to video loading that was introduced back in November, this latest move is hardly surprising. Google's position on the matter makes it clear that the company wishes to give users who use ad blockers a "suboptimal viewing" experience. As an online publication, Neowin also relies on ads for operating costs and, if you use an ad blocker, we'd appreciate being whitelisted. In addition, we have an ad-free subscription for $28 a year, which is another way to show support! Source: 9to5Google; PCGamer Update: Adblock has explained why Google isn't even the culprit for the slow YouTube performance.
  2. Chasethebase
    Netflix looking at adding ads to its games, and charging extra for some by Steve Bennett Netflix has been increasing its gaming library significantly over the last 12 months, including adding some headline indie titles as well as some classic triple-A titles. The service is available to all users who are subscribed to Netflix, and platform availability is on a per-title basis. Now, Netflix is reportedly looking into ways to further monetize the games on its platform through a variety of methods not limited to including adverts within these games. The Wall Street Journal has reported that executives at Netflix have been having discussions over the last few months over a selection of options to keep users coming back to the streaming service. Ideas that have been floated are not new ones and already exist within the mobile gaming world. This includes in-app purchases within games as well as charging a fee for titles that are more premium (which may include titles such as the aforementioned indie title Hades). This might also be extended to providing users who subscribe to the ad-supported tier access to the gaming library (something that is not yet available), but these games would then only be available with ads in them. Previously Netflix held the position that it did not want to include ads or other monetization methods within games on its platform. However it appears that has changed in the last few months. WSJ also reports that Netflix games had been downloaded a total of 81.2 million times globally during 2023, which is nearly three times as much as it saw in 2022. It isn't earth-shattering when compared to some larger mobile titles or bigger games on traditional gaming consoles and PC. However it shows that Netflix is seeing growth in the area, and will continue to invest in its library during 2024 and beyond. Source: The Wall Street Journal
  3. Aditya Tiwari
    WhatsApp head denies reports of ads coming to its app by Aditya Tiwari WhatsApp head Will Cathcart took to his X account (formerly Twitter) and disputed a media report claiming the Meta-owned company is exploring possibilities of displaying advertisements on its instant messaging app. Financial Times reported that some teams at Meta are discussing whether to show ads along with contacts in the list of conversations on the chat page. The interface could appear similar to how ads show up on Messenger. This @FT story is false. We aren't doing this. Also it looks like you misspelled Brian's name... https://t.co/Z47z9FC5yu — Will Cathcart (@wcathcart) September 15, 2023 As per the report, no final decisions have been made and the concept has been debated at a higher level as there are concerns it could "alienate users." WhatsApp said in a statement that it's not testing or working on it, and doesn't have any plans around it. WhatsApp has remained an ad-free app since its inception, and even after the company was acquired by Meta (then Facebook) in 2014. This has been in line with the popular note from WhatsApp co-founder Brian Acton, "No Ads!, No Games!, No Gimmicks!" How WhatsApp made money was by charging users $1 to download the app. And Facebook (said they) supported our mission & vision. Brian even wrote this famous note: pic.twitter.com/A6ufhkMIuX — neeraj arora (@neerajarora) May 4, 2022 In later years, however, Meta started using WhatsApp Business as the money-making machine for the instant messaging platform after ditching the $1 annual subscription fee. Launched in 2018, the app allows businesses to connect with their customers to provide various services and market new offers. It was reported earlier this year that WhatsApp Business reached 200 million users. Meta's other big acquisition Instagram has leveraged advertising for quite some time now. The social media app designed to consume image and video content displays ads in various places, including the content feed, Stories, and Reels. In recent news, WhatsApp announced its Channels feature will expand globally in the coming weeks, starting with India. It also rolled out support for uploading HD videos, multi-account support, revamped macOS app, and more. Some changes seen in a recent Android beta suggest the app might add support for cross-platform messaging in the future.
  4. Chasethebase
    YouTube is changing the way it serves ads on TV apps by Steve Bennett Today Google has announced that it will be changing the way it serves adverts to viewers on connected TV applications such as those on smart TV's, in response to the growth in users watching long form content on these platforms. Google mentions that it wishes to further develop the connected TV experience, primarily because watch time on the big screen continues to grow even in the face of mobile watch time leading the way significantly. Surveys conducted by Kantar, as well as the latest Nielsen Gauge Report, show that users are increasingly going to YouTube first for their entertainment. The main change that viewers will see going forward is a redesigned ad view that makes it clearer how much time is left before the advert either ends, or is skippable manually by the user. The redesign moves away from a small grey box to a circular timer, which will be familiar to users of the Timer app on iOS specifically, and will begin rolling out soon. The second, and potentially the most impactful change that Google is making to the way it displays ads on connected TV apps, is that it will be moving to longer, less frequent ad segments within videos. This is in a manner that is similar to traditional ad supported TV broadcasts, and will be most noticable during long-form content, with videos 21 minutes or longer reportedly making up over 65% of watch time in the US alone according to YouTube internal data. Google mentions that the decision to make these changes has been made based on real-time feedback from viewers across many markets across the globe, with it going to say that "YouTube is pioneering a fresher, more interactive TV experience." This follows the changes that it made last year to the interface as well as recently exploring adding Games to the site.
  5. Chasethebase
    Amazon Prime Video is reportedly working on an ad supported tier by Steve Bennett As reported by the Wall Street Journal, Amazon is looking into multiple methods of increasing its revenue from advertisement across the business, and that includes Prime Video, which could have its tiering system changed to introduce an ad-supported tier. Given Amazon's prominent position in the digital advertisement space sitting third behind Google and Meta in terms of revenue in the United States, advertisers are keen for Amazon to make this move. This would follow in the footsteps of Netflix bringing in an ad-supported tier at a lower price point than the standard subscription Advertisers are most interested in having access to premium films and programs on the service, which have until now remained mostly ad-free. With the amount of interest that these shows and films can generate, being able to have advertisements on them would potentially be very profitable for the advertisers and by extension, Amazon. At the moment, Prime Video is available with the standard Amazon Prime membership or as an $8.99 a month standalone. subscription. It doeshave some ad-supported coverage already with some of its live sports coverage and product placement within shows on the platform, as well as content from Freevee which is Amazon's free ad-supported video service. One of the routes that Amazon is said to be considering is introducing the ads into the existing tier of Prime Video membership, and offering a higher tier which would then include the benefit of being ad-free, which would follow a similar path to Amazon Music where it gave Prime members more songs but removed the ability to get most of them on demand. Amazon is very keen to expand its content library on Prime Video to compete with the large array of competitors in the space now, through bidding for rights for NFL games and having more original shows. This would be one way that it could pay for the cost of bringing more content to the service. Source: WSJ
  6. Chasethebase
    Microsoft already planning on bringing ads to Bing's chatbot by Steve Bennett In its next steps after announcing the AI powered upgrade to Bing, Microsoft has opened up talks with advertising agencies to establish a way for it to make money off the platform when it rolls out to the wider public. Microsoft demonstrated the demo of the new Bing to a major ad agency this week, and said that it is planning on adding paid links within responses that it provides to user queries, an ad executive said when talking about the meeting while remaining anonymous. It has already been testing ads in the early version available to try now, but this is currently through using current search ads and slotting them in to the responses provided by Bing, however, Microsoft has declined to comment on what it plans for the future of advertising on the platform. Microsoft has hit hot water in the advertising space in the recent past, with its attempts to advertise both Windows 11 and Microsoft 365 within the Windows operating system backfiring in spectacular fashion. Source: Reuters
  7. JustinCharlier
    Twitter relaxes its advertising policies to allow cannabis ads by Justin Luna Twitter updated its advertising policies on Wednesday to allow cannabis companies to promote their brands on the platform. "As of today, in certain US states we have taken measures to relax our Cannabis Ads policy to create more opportunities for responsible cannabis marketing – the largest step forward by any social media platform," Twitter's blog stated. "Going forward, Twitter is allowing advertisers to promote brand preference and informational cannabis-related content for CBD, THC, and cannabis-related products and services." Under the new policy, CBD and THC companies can run ads that promote their brands and provide informational content related to cannabis. However, the ads cannot promote or offer the sale of cannabis, except for ads for topical (non-ingestible) hemp-derived CBD topical products "containing equal to or less than the 0.3% THC government-set threshold." Advertisers must also not target customers under the age of 21 and may only target jurisdictions wherein they are licensed to promote their products or services. Additionally, the ads must not use characters, sports-persons, celebrities, or images/icons that appeal to minors, make false or misleading claims, depict people under the influence, and encourage transport across state lines. Finally, landing pages should be age-gated while sales should be age-verified. Previously, Twitter only allowed the advertisement of CBD topicals on its platform. This change means that Twitter will allow more cannabis ads than other platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Reddit. On the former two, companies can advertise hemp products, but with certain restrictions. Reddit, on the other hand, allows ads for "topical and non-ingestible hemp-derived CBD products" in the U.S. This development also comes at a time when many companies have either reduced their advertising spending or fled the microblogging platform entirely. Back in November, Twitter CEO Elon Musk revealed that the website has seen a significant drop in revenue since he took over the platform. By opening up the platform to cannabis companies, Twitter has an opportunity to recover some advertising revenue.
  8. zikalify
    UK Online Safety Bill threatens social media companies' ad revenue and user numbers by Paul Hill Social media firms are worried about an expected decline in users after the UK passes its Online Safety Bill. A source familiar with advertising at Instagram told the Financial Times that with an increase in user checks, fewer users will be on social media platforms and therefore there'll be fewer people to advertise to. The legislation is not yet in force but it’s getting closer with it going through the final stages of the House of Commons starting this week. The FT also spoke to people involved with policies at social media companies and they said the new bill would see the removal of underage users from platforms. They say the bill would also discourage individuals with identification or with privacy concerns from using platforms. All of this would hit ad revenue. With credit being more expensive to acquire following a rise in interest rates, businesses are cutting back on ad spend which is hitting social media companies too. With these extra protections set to come into law, it’ll be a further hit to the incomes of these companies. Last week, Neowin reported that scores of Conservative backbench rebels called for jail sentences to be added to the bill if bosses at social media firms don’t comply with the law, rather than just being hit with fines. Reports suggest the government was nearing a deal with the MPs over the issue. Once the bill clears the House of Commons it will go through several readings in the House of Lords and then be sent for Royal Assent where it will be brought into law. While advocates of the bill want all this done speedily, it’s not clear how long it will actually take. Source: Financial Times
  9. zikalify
    Tesla fined $2.2 million in South Korea for false advertising claims by Paul Hill Tesla has been fined 2.8 billion won, roughly $2.2 million, in South Korea for violating the country’s advertisement laws. According to Bloomberg, Tesla made false claims about the driving range and charging speed of its electric vehicles as well as estimated savings on fuel costs. The offending advertisement was changed by Tesla on its Korean website last February after the Fair Trade Commission launched its investigation, the fine is for misleading prospective customers in the first place. In addition to the 2.8 billion won fine, the regulator will levy an extra 1 million won on Tesla for violating the electronic commerce act because it failed to provide enough information on its cancellation policy. The Free Trade Commission said it plans to send a notice to Tesla explaining how it can address the raised concerns. On Monday, Tesla issued its Q4 2022 and full-year 2022 production and delivery figures. It revealed that deliveries had grown in 2022 but only by 40%, that’s below the 50% goal that the company had envisioned. The car maker has got off to a bad start of the year but there's still plenty of 2023 for it to turn things back in its favour. Source: Bloomberg
  10. zikalify
    Netflix's ad-supported tier underperformed expectations according to ad agencies by Paul Hill Netflix’s ad-supported tier has not met expectations, according to five ad agency execs who spoke to Digiday. Apparently, Netflix made guarantees to advertisers and so far the platform is failing to live up to these. In the existing arrangement with Netflix, ad agencies can take their money back for ads that have not yet run if they choose to. The report states that Netflix has a pay-on-delivery arrangement with advertisers where it only gets paid for the ads shown to customers. For the ads that don’t get shown, it releases the ad dollars back to the agencies. This arrangement is different to how traditional TV stations do ads. In those arrangements, advertisers spend the full amount of money and any money not spent is spent on future ads. One of the ad agency executives that spoke to Digiday was quoted as saying “They can’t deliver. They don’t make enough inventory to deliver. So they’re literally giving the money back.” Agencies that are taking their money back are those who have Christmas-related ads which will be no good soon. Some agencies have left their money with Netflix for future ads. While this news suggests that the cheaper ad-supported tier is getting off to a slow start, we must keep in mind that it’s new, only launching in early November. Over time, people who don’t mind ads, and want to save a bit of money, may opt for this ad-supported tier and resolve the issue. It’s also important to note that the tier only launched in 12 countries so as it expands to more places this could also increase ad views. Source: Digiday
  11. Karthik Mudaliar
    Mark Zuckerberg sides with Elon Musk over Apple App Store fees controversy by Karthik Mudaliar After a tough year for Meta, it is evident that Mark Zuckerberg isn't happy. At The New York Times DealBook summit on Wednesday, Zuckerberg took a jab at Apple and appeared to be on Elon Musk's side over the company's control of the App Store. "Apple has sort of singled themselves out as the only company that is trying to control unilaterally what apps get on a device. I don’t think that’s a sustainable or good place to be." Zuckerberg added that he sees Apple as one of their big competitors. "There is a conflict of interest there and it makes them not just a kind of governor that is looking out for the best of, of people's interests. I think they also have a lot of their own strategic interests, which makes it very challenging." Zuckerberg praised Google's approach, on the other hand, which allowed users to sideload an application if they want, even though Google has made that process slightly trickier now. "They’ve always made it so you can sideload and have other app stores and work directly with phone manufacturers. That’s also been our commitment in how we built up our VR and what we plan to do with our AR headsets." Last week, Elon Musk had also expressed his concerns over the App Store. He wasn't happy about it either since Apple forces app developers to pay from 15 to 30 percent fees from all in-app purchases, including for subscriptions like Twitter Blue. Zuckerberg said that Elon Musk's approach towards fighting over App Store policies is rather interesting. "It’s going to be very interesting to see how this plays out in terms of the approaches he’s taking. I would guess that not everything is going to work, but I think some things might work." Over content moderation, the Meta CEO believes that they or their company doesn't want to primarily make the decisions. "I tend to think that I don’t want one person or one company making those decisions, which is why we pioneered this oversight board for our content decisions. People have a vehicle that they can appeal to outside of us." Apple's App Store Tracking Transparency has already hurt advertising revenue on Facebook by up to 50%. The policy, which was introduced with iOS 14, allowed users to stop Identifier for Advertisers (IDFA) from tracking their data for advertisement purposes, which was Facebook's bread and butter. Source: New York Times
  12. Karthik Mudaliar
    Google agrees to pay largest privacy settlement in U.S. history for tracking location data by Karthik Mudaliar Google has agreed to pay $391.5 million settlement to 40 US states over a location tracking dispute. The big tech company misled its users into believing that they have turned location tracking off. However, Google still continued to collect the users' location information. As part of the settlement (PDF), Google has also agreed to improve its location tracking disclosures and user controls significantly starting 2023. Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum said in a statement: “For years Google has prioritized profit over their users’ privacy.They have been crafty and deceptive. Consumers thought they had turned off their location tracking features on Google, but the company continued to secretly record their movements and use that information for advertisers. Until we have comprehensive privacy laws, companies will continue to compile large amounts of our personal data for marketing purposes with few controls.” Google's major revenue comes from advertising. This is why it uses personal and behavioral data collected via location tracking and other sources to create a detailed user profile. After a user profile is built for every individual that uses any of Google's services, the company serves them with targeted ads. The settlement was led by Oregon AG Rosenblum and Nebraska AG Doug Peterson, and is the largest consumer privacy settlement in US history. The DoJ investigation was prompted by a 2018 article by the Associated Press (AP) that revealed how Google "tracks your movements". At that time, the AP said that this issue impacted more than 2 billion devices running on Google's Android OS and hundreds of millions of iPhones that use Google Maps or Google Search. Google did not admit to violation of any laws. A Google spokesperson told The Register that the investigation was based on "outdated product policies that we changed years ago". Google also posted a blog that provides more information to users to help manage their location data. Source: The Register
  13. JustinCharlier
    Buying ads on Twitter "high-risk," says world's biggest ad company by Justin Luna Twitter seems to be running into a lot of trouble with advertisers. Brands have been pulling their ads from the platform due to concerns around moderation. And more recently, the world's biggest ad company GroupM is reportedly telling its clients that buying ads on the platform is "high-risk." The advice, according to a report by Digiday, was shared in a document that warns marketers of the risks of advertising on the social networking platform recently acquired by business magnate Elon Musk. The document says that the label was given due to the high volume of Twitter executives leaving or being fired, blue checkmark abuse on corporate accounts, and the potential inability for Twitter to comply with their federal consent decree. If Twitter wants to lose the high-risk label, Twitter needs to meet the following requirements: A return to baseline levels of NSFW / toxic conversation on the platform Re-population of IT Security, Privacy, Trust & Safety senior staff Establishment of internal checks & balances Complete transparency on future development plans of community guidelines / content moderation / anything affecting user security or brand safety Demonstrated commitment of effective content moderation, enforcing current Twitter Rules (e.g. account impersonation, violative content removal timing, intolerance of hate speech and misinformation) When Elon Musk acquired Twitter, one of the things he immediately did was revamp the Twitter Blue subscription model. According to Musk, Twitter "needs to pay the bills somehow," and they cannot rely entirely on advertisers, so he gave users the power to have a verified checkmark for $8 a month. Later on, Twitter launched an "Official" tag to help distinguish accounts that have been verified via Twitter Blue and accounts that are verified as official. The tag was killed not even 24 hours since it launched, but was then reinstated after people exploited their verified checkmarks to pretend to be companies and politicians and post inappropriate content. Twitter then paused Twitter Blue to control the impersonations on the platform. Source: Digiday
  14. zikalify
    SpaceX takes out $250,000 ad campaign on Twitter in Australia and Spain by Paul Hill SpaceX has bought ad space on Twitter, according to the latter’s internal records, which were seen by CNBC. It comes as many top brands pull their ads from the platform. The ad package that SpaceX has bought usually costs more than $250,000 and allows a company to put their brand at the top of the Twitter timeline for the whole day. SpaceX is set to advertise its Starlink products first in Australia and then in Spain, according to the documents. Apparently, it’s not typical of SpaceX to buy ad space from Twitter, but given that they now share the same CEO, this type of thing could become a bit more common. Presumably, Twitter users in the two target countries will be encouraged to get a subscription to Starlink. While CEO Elon Musk would probably prefer to be getting $250,000 in ad revenue from companies he doesn’t own, this move has two benefits for the company. Firstly, SpaceX paying Twitter means SpaceX is essentially getting free advertising as it doesn’t have to pay a third-party company. Secondly, Twitter gets to show off its advertising offerings, which could persuade other brands to take out ad space on the platform again. Brands that have pulled their advertisements from the platform, citing content moderation under Elon’s leadership, include General Motors, Audi, Volkswagen, General Mills, Pfizer, and United Airlines. An interesting note here is that General Motors, Audi, and Volkswagen are all direct competitors to Elon’s other company, Tesla. The latest move could be Elon trying to show brands that Twitter is a good enough platform for SpaceX to advertise on, and therefore they should come back and advertise there too. Source: CNBC
  15. zikalify
    Twitter CEO Elon Musk says ad revenue has dropped massively by Paul Hill Elon Musk has revealed that Twitter has seen a “massive drop” in revenue since he took over the platform. He claims that activists have been putting pressure on advertisers to pause their ads on the microblogging service. Elon didn’t state how much revenue the platform had lost, but companies that have paused ads include General Motors, Audi, General Mills, and IPG. According to the new Twitter head, no changes have been made to content moderation, so this shouldn’t affect advertisers. He also claimed he did everything possible to “appease the activists” – before accusing them of “trying to destroy free speech in America.” Twitter has had a massive drop in revenue, due to activist groups pressuring advertisers, even though nothing has changed with content moderation and we did everything we could to appease the activists. Extremely messed up! They’re trying to destroy free speech in America. — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 4, 2022 While the aforementioned companies have pulled their ads from the platform, it is by no means a permanent move. They claim that they just want to see how things evolve at Twitter now that the platform has a new leadership. If the platform gets a reputation as being toxic, then companies could worry about their brands appearing in ads there. Most recently, Twitter has started laying off almost half of its staff, and those affected are hitting back by suing the company due to a lack of notice being given before they were fired. Some of those affected by the decision have moved over to the Fediverse – a federation of interoperable social networks. The decision to lay off so many employees is likely to only polarize people further. Source: Elon Musk (Twitter) via CNBC
  16. Alap Naik Desai
    Google will cripple Android VPN services that threaten to break advertisements by Alap Naik Desai Google seems to be safeguarding its advertising business. The company has confirmed that it will prohibit Android VPN apps on its Play store from interfering with or blocking advertising. Needless to add, this decision could help Google, but it may pose problems for some applications that need privacy and secure transmission of data. The updated Google Play policy, which outlines specific requirements for VPN services that work on Android devices, was announced last month. It will take effect on November 1. Google basically asks all VPN service providers to use the Android VPNService base class. Apps that explicitly confirm they offer VPN services and choose to use Google’s VPN API, would be allowed to open a secure device-level tunnel to a remote service. However, no VPN service should, “manipulate ads that can impact apps monetization”. In other words, VPN service providers may open a secure device-level channel for data exchange that takes place via a remote service. However, services will have to ensure that apps and services that pass through the VPN tunnel retain their communication to ad servers. The revised Terms and Conditions state that developers must declare the use of VPNservice in their apps' Google Play listing, must encrypt data from the device to the VPN endpoint, and must comply with Developer Program Policies, particularly those related to ad fraud, permissions, and malware. The majority of these conditions seem logical as they will secure a user’s data. Users will have the added reassurance that the data isn’t being used in any other way. Nonetheless, it appears Google may be prioritizing its own interests. Google claims it is taking action against apps that advertise a VPN service, but use it instead to track user data. These apps can, and often do reroute user traffic to earn money through ads. Incidentally, Apple's iOS App Store has a very similar requirement. Apple mandates VPN service providers use a specific VPN API, called NEVPNManager. The API is only available to developers who are part of an organization. Via: The Register
  17. Chasethebase
    Apple is looking to add even more advertising across the iPhone and iPad by Stephen Bennett Bloomberg is reporting today that Apple is looking to expand its advertising reach across the iOS and iPadOS ecosystems, after restricting third-party advertising across the platform. After launching App Tracking Transparency in early 2021, Apple has effectively taken away one of the key methods that advertisers use to generate money. This feature, in short, allows users to select whether an app can track activity across other websites and apps. Off the back of this, Apple's advertising business has gone from strength to strength, originally starting with search ads within the App Store and moving to ads within News and Stocks apps and including Apple TV+ coverage of MLB. At this stage, the next step for Apple looks to be to add search ads to Maps, as well as adding similar ads to those already in the App Store to both Books and Podcasts. Apple could also potentially introduce an ad supported tier of Apple TV+ similar to what is planned for Disney+. Having generated approximately $4 billion in revenue annually, the ads group within Apple looks to expand significantly, wanting to increase this figure into the double digits, and these methods would be one way to achieve this target. Source: Bloomberg
  18. Alap Naik Desai
    Netflix planning lower priced plan with ads and penalize password sharing, suggests report by Alap Naik Desai After vehemently denying rumors about introducing ads as they hinder the viewing experience, Netflix seems to have taken a U-turn. The streaming giant is apparently considering inserting advertisements. Netflix could start offering an ad-subsidized platform in the latter half of this year. An internal memo shared with the New York Times indicates Netflix plans to launch an ad-supported subscription tier during the “last three months of the year.” The streaming company had long claimed it would never insert ads within the content it offers as it would negatively impact the experience. However, recent developments may have forced the company to rethink its strategies. Netflix seems to be justifying the move by claiming that nearly all its competitors are doing the same. Moreover, the company claims it is merely trying to give its customer “more options”. Every major streaming company excluding Apple has or has announced an ad-supported service. For good reason, people want lower-priced options. It said that both Hulu and HBO had been able to maintain strong brands while offering an ad-supported service, so there’s no reason why Netflix can’t do the same. The most commonly subscribed streaming plan from Netflix currently costs $15.49 a month in the U.S. It is believed that the new ad-supported tier will cost less. This is because other streaming services, such as HBO Max, have an ad-free tier costing $15, while subscribers can pay $10 for the same level of access, albeit with advertising. Last month, Netflix announced that it intends to begin charging higher prices to subscribers who shared their accounts with several people. However, the leaked memo indicates Netflix intends to discourage the practice. The streaming company might also start offering cheap add-on memberships to those who share passwords. Although details are scarce, Netflix might deploy tools that recognize friends and family log-in details and offer plans that involve added charges. Source: The New York Times
  19. Alap Naik Desai
    Sony scouting AdTech companies to insert ads within PlayStation games, just like Microsoft by Alap Naik Desai Games for PlayStation consoles could contain subtly placed advertisements. Sony seems to be following in Microsoft’s footsteps in this endeavor. The Japanese tech giant is reportedly working with multiple AdTech companies but might prefer to control the ad placement as well as the distribution model. As we recently reported, Microsoft may be building an in-game system for Xbox games that would allow brands and companies to serve ads. Sony could be contemplating a very similar strategy, indicated a report from BusinessInsider. Microsoft might be placing digitally and dynamically rendered billboards within a game. However, these ads wouldn’t disturb gamers or impede their gameplay. Sony, on the other hand, seems to be working with AdTech companies to develop a dynamic platform that will help developers create (and perhaps distribute) in-game ads. In other words, Microsoft could be building a platform that will allow more ad space. But the company won’t allow businesses interested in advertising their products and services to simply pay money and ensure gamers are served ads. Sony seems to be going in a slightly different direction, albeit with an identical agenda. According to the report, Sony wants to “encourage developers to keep building free-to-play games”. This strongly suggests Sony wants to help developers make more money from their game titles by allowing them to serve ads to gamers. In other words, Sony could be developing newer avenues for enhanced monetization but would restrict the same to games that are free to download and play. It is not immediately clear if Sony would charge a commission for allowing game developers and publishers to serve more ads to gamers. However, the report suggests Sony might consider “charging developers and publishers for data on consumer activity on the PlayStation” while respecting user privacy. Some of the suggested techniques include vetting AdTech companies and anonymizing user data. Sony could increase monetization through promotional messages on its PlayStation 5 gaming console. The company could start pushing the new monetization techniques this year itself. Doing so could invite severe backlash, but if Sony does restrict ads to only free-to-play games, gamers and developers might not complain much. It is important to note that Sony has neither confirmed nor denied that it is actively exploring options to include more ads within the PlayStation gaming ecosystem. Currently, the company serves ads within the in-game menus. Ads are also served to viewers who stream from gamers playing on consoles. Source: BusinessInsider
  20. Alap Naik Desai
    Microsoft Xbox console games to contain ads but they could be subtle in-game ‘promotions' by Alap Naik Desai Microsoft seems keenly interested in developing and deploying an in-game advertising marketplace within the Xbox universe. Although ads would be visible inside a few games, they would be subtle, non-intrusive, and most importantly, not be visually distracting. Microsoft is reportedly building an in-game system for Xbox games that would allow brands and companies to serve ads. The ads, however, will be “placed”, and not played. Simply put, gamers need not worry about ads that hinder gameplay, just to play a promotional message, indicated a report from BusinessInsider. The Windows OS maker seems to be considering multiple AdTech companies as potential partners. The AdTech company that Microsoft ends up partnering with for serving ads within its Xbox universe would not be able to just set up a standard marketplace. In other words, businesses interested in advertising their products and services wouldn't be able to simply pay money and ensure gamers are served ads. Microsoft seems interested in offering more “ad space”. For the Xbox gaming ecosystem, this translates to adding more games that brands can advertise in, and allowing more game developers or publishers to sell ad space within their own creations. Coming to the actual advertisements, and how they would be actually served, the report indicates digitally and dynamically rendered billboards within a game. In other words, these ads wouldn’t impede gameplay. It is not immediately clear, but Microsoft might offer other promotional tactics such as avatar skins or video ads that play in gaming lobbies. Needless to mention, Microsoft hasn’t confirmed or denied it is actively exploring options to include more ads within the Xbox gaming ecosystem. The company currently allows limited forms of advertising within Xbox. Advertisers can purchase ads that appear on the Xbox dashboard. Additionally, agencies can buy in-game ads that appear within certain games. Microsoft also works with third parties such as Yahoo and Anzu to boost ad revenue. Ads, within game titles that gamers play on dedicated gaming consoles, aren't as common as those within mobile games. Microsoft must be acutely aware that pushing any visually intrusive ads within console games would cause a huge backlash. Hence, it is quite likely the company would begin inserting subtle advertisements within some free-to-play titles. However, it is amply clear that Microsoft wants to build a large ad network that it owns and controls. Source: BusinessInsider
  21. Alap Naik Desai
    Netflix will stay ad-free even if it means higher entry price point to streaming service by Alap Naik Desai Netflix seems confident that it can grow without introducing advertisements. The streaming giant’s CFO Spencer Neumann has confirmed there won’t be any ad-supported or ad-subsidized subscription packages. He, however, didn't confirm that Netflix won't take that route ever. After Disney confirmed it would offer an ad-supported subscription tier to its Disney+ streaming service, it appeared Netflix too might follow. A subscription tier with ads usually costs less but subscribers have to bear advertisements, despite paying for a service. While ads lower the price point, they often cause disruption in the viewing experience. Such tactics might work in the short term, but could be detrimental to Netflix, hinted Neumann. Netflix is focused on optimizing for long-term revenue…and we want to do it in a way that is a great experience for our members. Right now, we think we have a great model and a subscription business that scales globally really well. We were about a $20 billion revenue business two years ago…we’re $30 billion revenue now. The growth is healthy across every region of the world. Netflix does have a competitive “all-you-can-eat” pricing. Tariffs vary depending on the number of devices and the quality of the streamed content. Instead of offering an ad-supported subscription, Netflix has offered a budget tier in nascent but fast-growing markets such as India. For just about $2 per month, Netflix subscribers in India have access to the entire catalog, but the streaming quality is restricted to 480p, and access is limited to a single device. Needless to add, tariffs in other regions are quite higher in comparison. Netflix is clearly afraid that ads could negatively impact end-user experience but is obviously concerned about revenue generation. It’s not in our plans, but other folks are learning from it. So, it’s hard for us to ignore that others are doing it. But, for now, it doesn’t make sense for us. Neumann was obviously referring to the fact that there are far more streaming services vying for subscribers. Apart from Hulu and Amazon Prime Video, broadcasting giants as well as production houses such as HBO, Paramount NBC, Peacock, and so on, are active in the streaming service market. It is amply clear that Netflix hasn’t completely rejected the idea of inserting ads to lower the entry price point for new members. But it is trying other routes to increase its revenue. Apart from streaming, Netflix is actively exploring the gaming business. Although the streaming giant’s early offerings seem rudimentary, Netflix is obviously attempting to grow in the space. Source: TechCrunch
  22. Fiza Ali
    Snapchat halts ads in Russia, Belarus, and Ukraine, continues offering app as a tool by Fiza Ali Snapchat has announced that it has halted advertising in Russia, Belarus, and Ukraine along with pausing advertising sales to all Russian and Belarusian organizations following the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The company said that it does not acquire revenue from Russian state-owned institutions, and is also acting in accordance with the imposed sanctions upon Russian businesses and individuals. Nevertheless, Snapchat will continue providing its app in Russia, Belarus, and Ukraine due to its significance as an essential communications tool for people. Commenting on the situation in Ukraine, Snapchat stated: We stand in solidarity with our Ukrainian team members and the people of Ukraine who are fighting for their lives and for their freedom. War is a scourge on our collective humanity, and in this case, it is a direct threat to many of our team members and their families. We are praying for their safety and for peace. Through its collaborations with media publishers on its Discover content platform, it is concentrated on delivering accurate information and news coverage to its global community. In addition, it is continuously monitoring its platform for evidence of misuse or disinformation. The company has further mentioned that it only features content from verified media publishers on Discover and has never permitted Russian state media to distribute content. Moreover, Snapchat is offering emergency assistance and aiding its team members to safely relocate. It is also showing its commitment to helping its Ukrainian team members and their families while supporting its community, and pledging over $15 million in humanitarian aid to support organizations who are working towards delivering direct relief to those in Ukraine.
  23. Alap Naik Desai
    Singapore bans cryptocurrency ads and promotion to public claiming it's high-risk investment by Alap Naik Desai Singapore is clamping down on cryptocurrency promotions. The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) has released new guidelines governing Digital Payment Tokens (DPT), commonly known as cryptocurrencies, which essentially prohibit their ads and marketing of services. The sovereign island city-state reportedly feels the virtual monies are a very high-risk investment or trading instrument. Any service provider, company, agency, or large-scale middle-men dealing with cryptocurrencies, are not to advertise their services in Singapore. Service providers should not promote their offerings or services to the local population. The guidelines currently apply to companies such as banks and payment institutions that work with cryptocurrencies, but they would soon be applicable to anyone who transfers cryptocurrencies and offers wallet services. The guidelines essentially prohibit advertisements about cryptocurrencies on public transport, websites, social media, broadcast, and print media. Promotional banners or pop-up ads pointing to digital tokens on third-party websites and even social media platforms are not allowed. Interestingly, even ATMs (Automated Teller Machines) are off-limits for promotional purposes. Singapore is also barring social media influencers from promoting cryptocurrency services to the local public. With such restrictions, cryptocurrency service providers now only have their own corporate websites, mobile apps, or official social media accounts where they can freely promote their services. If this is not restrictive enough, the Payment Services Act is expected to widen the scope of the ban. For the time being, only those buying or selling cryptocurrencies, as well as facilitating the exchange of digital payment tokens, come under the ambit of the law. In the near future, even cryptocurrency exchanges that do not hold any inventory will have to abide by the new law. It is amply clear that Singapore’s administration views cryptocurrency as a very risky investment or monetary instrument. The regulator has previously and repeatedly cautioned about cryptocurrency trading, warning the local population about "sharp speculative swings" in valuations of cryptocurrencies.
  24. zikalify
    Gartner expects fewer people will opt-out of personalised mobile app ads by 2023 by Paul Hill The analyst firm, Gartner, has released an interesting prediction which we could see in 2023. It said that the opt-out rate for mobile app tracking will decline from 85% to 60% as consumers experience more untargeted ads. With Apple rolling out more ways to opt-out of ad tracking in mobile apps, fewer people are being shown relevant ads. Gartner believes, however, that consumers can be persuaded to opt-in to tracking especially if they trust the brand or publisher requesting tracking. Explaining this a bit more, Andrew Frank, vice president and analyst in the Gartner Marketing practice, said: “Roughly one-quarter of consumers would allow tracking if they are familiar with the brand or publisher that’s requesting tracking, especially as part of an explicit value exchange, such as in cash rewards, coupons, discounts or loyalty points. Although Apple terms prohibit developers from offering people incentives for granting permission to track on iOS devices, marketers and consumers are finding workarounds.” Gartner has outlined several methods that marketers could and will likely try to boost opt-in rates when it comes to mobile ad tracking. First, it said that customers need a compelling reason to opt-in and it should be made clear to them what tangible value opting in provides them with. Secondly, it should be easy for customers to change their privacy settings so they can opt-out at any time. Finally, Gartner said that marketers should work with publishers to optimise contextual targeting and measurement in the absence of tracking data. Google, one of the largest advertisers online, has already begun using some of these tips. For a while now, it has made a point of communicating to customers that at no point is their data sold on to third-parties. This sort of messaging can help build trust which should lead to more people opting in to tracking. It’s certainly a hot topic anyway and Gartner's prediction is a little surprising. It’ll be interesting to see whether it comes to fruition.
  25. zikalify
    Privacy firm DuckDuckGo launches App Tracking Protection for Android in beta by Paul Hill The privacy-focused search engine, DuckDuckGo, has launched a new feature in its Android app called App Tracking Protection. The feature is still in private beta and you’ll need to join a waiting list by opening the app, heading to Settings then clicking ‘Join the Private Waitlist’ in the App Tracking Protection section. Once you secure your place, the app will work to stop apps on your phone from tracking you and sending data back to advertisers. According to DuckDuckGo, 96% of the most popular free apps on Android contain third-party trackers. The large majority (87%) of these send your data to Google while 68% send your data off to Facebook. With App Tracking Protection running in the background, these trackers will be detected and blocked to ensure your data is protected. There are two issues with App Tracking Protection in its current state, however. First of all, there’s the fact that it sets up a local VPN connection to work. While not an actual VPN, it requires the use of that part of Android to work so if you do depend on a VPN frequently, you won’t be able to use that in conjunction with App Tracking Protection. Due to the way Android works, it’s unlikely that this issue will ever be resolved. The second problem, which will improve in future, is that some apps are allowed to send your data off to third-parties. DuckDuckGo says this is because these apps rely on tracking to work properly but it hopes to reduce this allow list in future. If you apply to join the private beta as outlined in the first paragraph, do keep in mind that you may still run into issues. If you want a more stable experience just wait until the feature opens up to everyone in the future (the company did not give a date for the stable release).