What Am I Worth to Advertisers? My Obsessive Quest to Put a Price on My Attention
319. That’s the number of discrete advertisements, both online and off, served to me over the course of one Tuesday in July. I know because I counted each and every one.
Finally, Facebook Will Let You Report Ads That Trick You Into Buying Total Crap
Until now, purchasing some too-good-to-be-true cheap clothes or a weird smartphone case through a Facebook ad usually ends in disappointment, with no way to provide feedback about your new dress shirt that makes you look like a store brand anime character. While Facebook can’t stop you from buying a t-shirt with a few…
Facebook Wants a Social Security Number From Political Advertisers
Facebook already has more data on most people than it knows what to do with but the company announced Thursday that it will need a few more vital pieces of personal information from anyone hoping to place political ads on its platform, including a government-issued ID and social security number.
Snapchat's Unskippable Six-Second Ads Have, Sadly, Arrived
Things have been rocky for Snapchat. After going public in March 2017, Snap Inc. has seen its stock price drop by more than 50 percent in a little more than a year, while taking a $40 million loss on unsold Spectacles and more or less canceling a redesign that had users complaining in protest. So in an attempt to…
Placing Election Ads on Google Will Require a Government ID
If you want to place a political advertisement through Google’s massive advertising network during the upcoming US elections, you’re going to have to show some ID first. The search giant announced new policies Friday that will require advertisers prove they are a US citizen or permanent resident when buying election…
Snapchat to Users: If You Won't Watch Our Ads by Choice, We'll Just Make You Do It
Snapchat, fresh off a redesign that managed to piss off just about the entirety of its user base, is reportedly getting ready to introduce a new feature that no one (except its stockholders) has been asking for: unskippable advertisements.
Here Is Facebook's Dubious Plan to Prevent Its 2016 Election Catastrophe From Happening Again
Pressure has been mounting on Facebook and its leadership to make big privacy changes in the wake of the Cambridge Analytica scandal—in which it lost control over extensive data on what it now says are 87 million users—and after weeks of hedging and minor tweaks around the margins, the company has begun to make other…
Bank of America Hopes a ‘Safety Officer’ Can Keep Its Ads Out of Internet Cesspools
The brands are finally ready to take a bold stand against willingly associating themselves with things that lots of people hate.
Amazon Is Pulling Those Annoying Lock Screen Ads From Its Discount Prime Exclusive Phones
Amazon’s “Prime Exclusive” phones always seemed like a tantalizing deal, because if you were already a Prime subscriber, you could save $25, $50, $100, or more on handsets from well-known manufacturers like LG and Motorola. But until now, there was always a catch, because those savings came with lock screen ads and…
Yes, Your Amazon Echo Is an Ad Machine
Did a loved one buy you an Amazon Echo over the holidays? Sorry about that. But now, in addition to well-founded fears about surveillance and security, you’ve got a new problem: ads.
Motorola's Terrible 'Rap Video' Is a Great Reminder of Its Irrelevance
Forty-four years ago this week, Motorola placed the first phone call from a mobile phone. That’s a genuinely big moment, and as someone who is glued to my smartphone for at least 18 hours a day, I’m very glad that happened.
Ads Will Be Even Harder to Escape Now That Posters Can Hijack FM Radio
Visual ads like signs, posters, and billboards are easy to ignore—you just need to look away. But what if a poster for a concert started broadcasting music or notifications to your smartphone? Researchers at the University of Washington have found a way to turn print ads into low-power radio stations, making a future…
Former DirecTV Spokesman Rob Lowe Calls Out DirecTV for Being Shitty
Rob Lowe, the former pitchman for DirecTV, has a message for the company that he used to promote: You suck!
This Is as Close as We're Gonna Get to a Space Jam Sequel
This new commercial is cute and all, but it a) does not contain nearly enough Looney Tunes b) is sadly lacking in anyone telling us to get up it’s time to slam now, we’ve got a real jam going now.
Facebook Admits to More False Metrics
Facebook has inaccurately reported some of its engagement metrics to publishers, the company admitted Thursday.
Store Is Very Sorry for Exploiting 9/11 With Its 'Twin Tower Sale' Commercial
In a deeply regrettable attempt to cash in on human tragedy using viral video magic, a company called Miracle Mattress decided to film and post a bizarre commercial promoting its “Twin Tower sale.” Welp!
All of the Creepy Things Facebook Knows About You
Facebook knows more about your personal life than you probably realize. As part of the company’s increasingly aggressive advertising operation, Facebook goes to great lengths to track you across the web. The company compiles a list of personal details about every user that includes major life events and general…
Television Companies Are Stealing the Internet's Ad Countdown Clocks
Online streaming platforms like YouTube and Hulu have a method to keep viewers interested throughout commercial breaks: countdown clocks. Now, traditional TV broadcasting companies are getting in on the action.
